Stealing the Ming Dynasty [Complete] - 22

Chapter 34: New Recruits

October 22nd, 5th year of the Tianqi reign (1626), Changsheng Island.

On the reviewing stand of the training ground stood a group of officers wearing red-tasseled phoenix-winged helmets, their chests adorned with numerous medals. Below the stand, squads of soldiers in iron helmets and sharp armor marched in neat square formations, their legs swaying high. As each squad passed the reviewing stand, the leading officer would draw his sword, lightly kiss the blade as instructed by T.S. Duncan, and then raise it high vertically.

The officer would hold the sword high until it was directly in front of the reviewing stand, then forcefully slash it horizontally towards the stand, simultaneously turning his head and shouting: "The strongest army of the Ming Dynasty—the Changsheng Army—salutes you, sir!"

The more than four hundred soldiers behind the officer would also turn to look at the reviewing stand in unison with this feint. After passing Zhao Manxiong, they continued forward, their steady gait accompanied by the resounding thud of military boots as they marched confidently past the reviewing stand…

The officers on the stand surrounded three men in the center: He Dingyuan, acting commander of the Firefighting Battalion; Yang Zhiyuan, acting commander of the Rock-Stone Battalion; and Zhao Manxiong, a newly promoted military officer. Before leaving, Huang Shi had promoted Zhao Manxiong to the rank of military officer, temporarily placing him in charge of his directly subordinate troops and territory. The reasons for this appointment were threefold: first, Zhao Manxiong was still one of Huang Shi's most trusted men; second, Huang Shi assumed Zhao Manxiong would return quickly and didn't expect him to handle any tasks requiring decisiveness; and finally, Zhao Manxiong was a man of principle, and Huang Shi had privately agreed with him that upon his return, he would strip Zhao Manxiong of his military officer title. Huang Shi would have been hesitant to do this with anyone else.

Zhao Manxiong and the others were all under thirty, but the three generals kept their faces taut and their lips tightly pressed together. Aside from their carefully crafted air of maturity, every officer on Changsheng Island felt a profound sense of awe during the parade. Even seasoned officers like Zhao Manxiong, with their extensive experience, were no exception.

Privately, He Dingyuan once said, "Watching the parade is something that excites me. Every time the soldiers shout 'Charge!', I wish I could shout along with them; every time I watch them march past me with unwavering resolve, I feel a surge of pride that almost bursts out of my chest."

The Changsheng Island parade was a collaborative effort between Huang Shi and Duncan. Besides the current daytime parade, Adolf Duncan also independently designed a nighttime torchlight procession, even creating special high-top knee-high boots, black uniforms, black capes, and fiery red armbands for this type of parade.

While watching the squad's rehearsal, Huang Shi secretly admitted that Duncan's torch relay had a strong visual impact. However, preparing a complete set of equipment for several thousand officers and soldiers was simply too expensive, and torches and grease were also not cheap. So, the idea of a nighttime parade was ultimately abandoned.

Huang Shi's main purpose in putting in the effort to hold a military parade was to enhance the officers' and soldiers' sense of honor. In addition to the officers, the soldiers participating in the parade also responded very well. The rousing military music, the orderly formations, and the feeling of being the center of attention all had a good effect on enhancing the soldiers' sense of belonging and honor.

Today's military parade was held to celebrate the completion of basic training by another four hundred infantry recruits. These were the last batch of soldiers who should have completed training according to the plan, most of whom were veterans of the Vanguard Battalion. These four hundred soldiers would complete joint training with four hundred veteran Changsheng Army soldiers on the island. After these eight hundred infantrymen formed two combat-ready units, they would be assigned to Zhang Minghe's command—which should have been completed long ago according to Huang Shi's plan. The fact that

the plan was not completed was not the responsibility of Zhao Manxiong or other Changsheng officers. Since Huang Shi left, the supervising officer Wu Mu had been trying to recreate several legendary military formations. From a long time ago, Wu Mu had been very interested in Zhuge Liang's Eight Trigrams Formation from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, especially the dizzying, confusing, and hallucinatory effects it produced, which Wu Mu greatly coveted.

In the past, Huang Shi always stayed on the island, and the former镖师 (bodyguard/escort) felt he couldn't get a word in edgewise. Now that Huang Shi was finally gone, Wu Mu saw an opportunity to put his knowledge to use. As for the remaining people, Wu Mu secretly labeled them in his mind. Zhao Manxiong was a "dog-headed strategist," He Dingyuan was a "brave fool," and Yang Zhiyuan was a "farmer."

Wu Mu believed that having followed Huang Shi all this time, he obviously had a broader perspective, at least better than a dog-headed strategist, a reckless fool, or an honest farmer. After reading *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* many times, Wu Mu pestered Zhao Manxiong and the others to let him practice his understanding of the "Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation"...

After the military parade, Zhao Manxiong ordered preparations for the exercise. This exercise would feature the first batch of new recruits trained after the Battle of Fuzhou. They had been training with the veterans for two months, and the best among them were already quite proficient. Using new recruits who had just completed their training for the exercise would not only allow for observation of the condition of each unit but also provide a good demonstration for the soldiers who had just left the recruit camp. After giving the order, Zhao Manxiong breathed a satisfied sigh of relief: "Although it's a bit late, it's finally almost finished."

Yang Zhiyuan, who was beside him, chuckled softly upon hearing this, then cautiously complained in a low voice: "Fortunately, Eunuch Wu gave up at the last minute, otherwise, who knows when the work assigned by the master would have been completed."

"That's right, thankfully so." He Dingyuan, whose ears were always very sharp, also loudly agreed after hearing this. Although everyone enjoyed drinking with Eunuch Wu, they generally believed they were more skilled in military affairs: "When the magistrates return and see the troops haven't trained well, they'll definitely take their anger out on us, and might even punish us with military rods according to the dereliction of duty regulations. Hmm, I heard Eunuch Wu is writing a military book, haha, I thought..."

Zhao Manxiong and Yang Zhiyuan shouted together, "Shut up!"

...

The last exercise was a live-fire exercise. The fifty new recruits participating in this exercise were gathered from the Firefighting and Rock Battalions, with five soldiers per team. After the Battle of Fuzhou, including the wounded returning to their units, Changsheng Island still had more than three thousand veteran infantrymen. Huang Shi, besides transferring a group of elites to the training corps, distributed the remaining veterans among the three battalions, including the Vanguard Battalion, so each of the two field battalions had about two hundred new recruits. This time, each team leader sent their best recruits for this final exercise.

Dugu Qiu was one of these fifty soldiers. A few months earlier, when he arrived at the recruit camp, he was assigned to Instructor Song Jianjun. Therefore, Dugu Qiu's basic training was a nightmare. According to the military regulations of Changsheng Island, instructors who beat soldiers without cause would be severely punished. However, Song Jianjun fully demonstrated the traditional wisdom of the Chinese working people. He never found fault with Dugu Qiu outside of training time…

only on the training ground, Instructor Song's eyes were always ten times sharper than the hungriest eagle when observing Dugu Qiu's movements. Even the slightest mistake, delay, or non-standard technique would be immediately pointed out by Song Jianjun, followed by a beating that would never exceed the prescribed amount. If it were just beatings, that would be one thing, but the problem was that Song Jianjun's beatings never caused serious consequences. Each time the military doctor examined Dugu Qiu's injuries, he would comment, "Slightly serious flesh wounds, but he can continue to participate in training."

After half a month of training by Song Jianjun, Dugu Qiu's drumming rhythm was as good as that of a soldier who had only been training for three months. Near the end of the month-long basic training, instructors from other recruit platoons, who happened to see Dugu Qiu's basic techniques, praised him, saying his movements were almost comparable to those of a year-old veteran… Even at this time, Dugu Qiu still endured about half the beatings of his original recruit platoon.

Since leaving the recruit camp, Dugu Qiu felt like he had ascended from hell to heaven. He was assigned to the fire brigade's A platoon. In his unit, every officer praised his standardized movements, high level of obedience, and rapid learning of techniques—he never needed to be taught a second time.

When the unit recommended soldiers, his name was the first one mentioned. His platoon leader, deputy platoon leader, battalion commander, and lieutenant commander all had high hopes for Dugu Qiu, hoping he could bring glory to the unit in the exercise.

Fifty new recruits wore the standard infantry helmets of Changsheng Island—the kind with rounded tops and long neck guards—and each was clad in a standard set of iron armor (now, due to a further shortage of armor, the recruits were no longer issued iron armor but instead hid in square formations). They formed a small rectangular formation ten men wide and five men thick, each rank consisting of soldiers from the same infantry unit, with each rank's leader being the best soldier in their unit.

Dugu Qiu stood tall and proud, first on the left of the first rank. He knew that the adults on the distant reviewing stand were watching, as were the thousands of soldiers lined up neatly behind it. This feeling of being the center of attention made Dugu Qiu sweat profusely; he felt his body was stiff and unresponsive. Although Dugu Qiu kept telling himself to stay calm and composed, his whole body trembled uncontrollably.

Extremely nervous, Dugu Qiu felt he couldn't possibly carry out orders properly, and this worry made him anxious and restless. As the wait continued, Dugu Qiu's breathing became uneven... until he saw an officer leading a flag bearer, drummer, and auxiliary troops striding towards him... The officer's physique and gait made Dugu Qiu stop breathing, a suffocating fear rising within him, a fear that brought an almost nauseating urge.

The officer striding towards him was none other than Song Jianjun. Dugu Qiu, an elite recruit, had raised his standards too high; with this primary target gone, Song Jianjun's attention shifted back to the others, and he suddenly found himself finding fault with everyone's actions in the recruit camp... Instructor Song had trained wave after wave of high-quality recruits, and honors rained down upon him; verbal praise and written commendations from superiors almost overwhelmed him.

Now, every unit was vying for recruits trained by Song Jianjun, and the leaders at all levels of the training battalion regarded him as a prodigy among the training instructors. When Zhao Manxiong ordered preparations for the final live-fire exercise, the training battalion unhesitatingly dispatched its top-tier instructor—Song Jianjun.

The Ming Dynasty military tradition that Huang Shi abhorred most was the "soldier-owned-general" model. Of course, the soldiers under Huang Shi's command were undoubtedly his private property, but he would never allow them to be owned by officers. Undoubtedly, Huang Shi also knew how inefficient the Song Dynasty's system of "soldiers not knowing their generals, and generals not knowing their soldiers" was.

To break down this traditional feudal barrier without causing negative consequences, Huang Shi consistently implemented a military rank system copied from the future on Changsheng Island—meaning that officers and soldiers must unconditionally obey higher-ranking officers unless explicitly ordered otherwise. Through Huang Shi's efforts, military orders on Changsheng Island were standardized, and the systems of instructors, recruit camps, and frequent lateral transfers of officers were also designed to prevent the privatization of soldiers.

To protect officers and veteran soldiers, Changsheng Island strictly prohibited officers and soldiers from wearing medals on the battlefield. However, since it was currently an exercise, Song Jianjun wore all his medals. He wore an officer's red-tasseled phoenix-winged helmet and a large red cloak. He wore black boots and greaves, a tiger-head leather belt around his waist, and a dazzling array of medals on his chest. The most striking was the Third Class Medal of Excellence. The large, gleaming bronze medal was always kept spotless by Song Jianjun, and his fiancée had even made it a wide, brightly colored sash—a custom-made sash that used up almost half a month's salary of the instructor's allowance. He, of course, never missed an opportunity to wear his medals.

When Song Jianjun's gaze swept over him, Dugu Qiu felt as numb as a frog seeing a venomous snake. His heart clenched, almost stopping. From that moment on, his trembling ceased, his cold sweat stopped, and he no longer cared whether important figures were watching from the reviewing stand. He listened intently to every word Song Jianjun spoke, just as he had in basic training, afraid of missing a single syllable.

First came the mission briefing, unique to Changsheng Island. Song Jianjun waved his arm behind him. Six hundred meters away, Duncan and his artillery unit were already prepared: "Enemy artillery is continuously bombarding our column directly ahead. To guard against possible enemy covering forces, our unit will advance slowly under fire to conserve energy, and finally launch a fierce bayonet charge to destroy the enemy artillery in one fell swoop."

After speaking, the auxiliary soldiers carrying the exercise equipment came over and handed the equipment to the soldiers participating in the exercise. After the auxiliary soldiers dispersed, Song Jianjun turned to face the direction of the artillery. He took a few deep breaths, straightened his chest, and held the hilt of his sword with his left hand. He pointed heavily forward: "Advance." After

seeing the soldiers begin to march to the beat of the drums, Duncan also waved his arm vigorously: "Fire!"

The two artillery crews began to fire upon receiving the order, and the shells whistled towards the infantry unit in the distance. Almost the instant the shells left the barrel, the artillery crews began the orderly reloading process. The artillery crew, along with the observer, calmly began observing the impact points of the shells.

Maintaining formation while slowly advancing under artillery fire was a crucial part of the Changsheng Army's training. Initially, soldiers stood in formation listening to the artillery fire blanks. Once they were accustomed to the sound, they practiced marching amidst blank fire, and finally, of course, marching and changing formations with live ammunition.

Naturally, the artillery would never intentionally fire on their own infantry during this training; they would allow the shells to fly over or to the left of the troops. The purpose of this training was to eliminate the soldiers' fear of artillery. Huang Shi had always worried about facing the cannons of the Later Jin, and although this fear hadn't yet materialized, counter-battery training had never stopped.

Today, Song Jianjun's new recruits had only been undergoing counter-battery training for a month, and had only done it a few times. After they had marched two hundred meters, Duncan's artillery had adjusted its aim, and shells continued to whistle past their heads and sides. The observing officers watched with interest as the soldiers' movements stiffened slightly with tension, while the three guerrilla generals on the reviewing stand smiled.

He Dingyuan commented with some regret, "They're still new recruits after all; they're already having an effect from such a distant artillery barrage."

"Only a month of counter-battery training; this is good enough," Yang Zhiyuan retorted with a smile. So far, most of the recruits maintained straight postures, their gazes fixed straight ahead without wavering. He stared at the leader, Song Jianjun, for a while, then finally nodded: "This Instructor Song is quite good. He has a good grasp of the marching rhythm, and the officers maintain a good presence."

The infantry quickly advanced to within about two hundred meters of the artillery, and Duncan, who was controlling the artillery, also became somewhat nervous. Today's exercise plan was still very risky, so he personally came to the front line to command. Duncan nodded slightly, and his messenger solemnly replied, "Yes, sir."

Then, turning to the two six-pounder gun crews, he shouted, "Rolling fire!"

At the command, the two six-pounder guns simultaneously lowered their muzzles, and after reaching the angle required by the gunners, they were loaded almost at the same time. These two gun crews were the most coordinated and accurate on Changsheng Island.

The shells bounced off the ground and towards the infantry, spinning rapidly with a piercing whistle as they hurtled across the thin infantry lines.

As the shells grazed overhead, many soldiers instinctively flinched and ducked. Accidents had occurred during previous counter-battery training. Although there had been no accidents in the past two months, these recruits had all heard of the power of shells hitting a group of soldiers. Since counter-battery training began on Changsheng Island, nearly fifty soldiers had died in accidents. Those twenty-odd lucky survivors who were wounded by artillery fire almost all underwent amputations—on Changsheng Island, where antibiotics were unavailable, death was inevitable without removing the lacerations from the shells.

The largest of these training accidents resulted in nearly twenty casualties. Today, Zhao Manxiong had Duncan personally oversee the artillery operation precisely to minimize the risk of bloodshed.

Another ricocheting shell hurtled towards Song Jianjun. As a member of the training unit, honed through numerous anti-artillery drills, Song Jianjun maintained his stance, one hand on his sword, his right arm swinging powerfully in the air. His eyes were wide open as he calmly led the way, his steps unwavering. The wind whipped by the whistling shell ruffled Song Jianjun's beard, but he remained ramrod straight, his eyelids unblinking, walking with the composure of a Siberian bear, the calm as a bear approaching a seal—it was just a shell.

After several accidents during anti-artillery training, some had suggested that Huangshi halt live-fire exercises and simply train soldiers' courage with blank shells. This suggestion was supported by many officers, who felt it was unfair for their hard-earned soldiers to die under their own fire. This call grew even louder after several officers were killed by artillery fire; after all, shells were indiscriminate, and the loss of officers was a great loss to Huangshi's men.

In response, Huang Shi added two new regulations: first, the compensation for officers and soldiers who died in training accidents would be the same as that for those killed in action; second, the salaries of the artillery officers and soldiers responsible for the accidents would be deducted. However, the proposal to suspend live-fire exercises was resolutely rejected.

"Every drop of blood shed by our army on the training ground is a price we must pay to make the Ming Dynasty's army invincible."

This sentence was engraved after Huang Shi's death and posted on the wall of the Beijing Military Academy, though... the words "Ming Dynasty" were erased from it.

Centuries later, this sentence was included in the primary school textbooks of many Third World countries, using it to denounce ambitious imperialists, their arrogance, and their overbearing attitude...

Dugu Qiu followed Song Jianjun with trepidation, his fear of this devil blind to the shells and his comrades, until they were less than thirty meters from the artillery. Song Jianjun suddenly stopped. With all his might, he swung his right arm forward: "Assault—"

Without a second thought, Dugu Qiu grabbed the wooden stake he'd been given and charged forward. He'd been assigned to block the gun muzzle…

twenty meters…

fifteen meters…

In normal counter-battery training, this would be the end of the exercise. But today, Duncan, watching the young soldier charge, directly ordered his artillery crew: "Fire!"

Dugu Qiu was barely ten meters away when the artilleryman unhesitatingly extended his torch towards the fire door. The recruit, hearing the urging drumbeats behind him, didn't pause for a moment. Without hesitation, he raised the wooden stake above his head and, following standard technique, thrust it towards the gun muzzle. Just before the stake reached its target, the gun muzzle in front of Dugu Qiu erupted in flames…

The deafening roar and blinding flash almost made Dugu Qiu faint. For a long time afterward, everything was still pitch black; he had no idea where he was. In a daze, Dugu Qiu felt as if his hands and feet were being grabbed, and the feeling of floating on clouds intensified, making the stars appear even more numerous. He seemed to hear someone excitedly shouting beside him,

"This is my soldier, my team..."

Through his hazy state, Dugu Qiu finally recognized the voice; it was undoubtedly his team leader, Wang Qinian.

Zhao Manxiong, He Dingyuan, and Yang Zhiyuan on the reviewing stand were all applauding. The last shot of the exercise was a blank. After the brave recruit fell, Duncan announced the end of the exercise. Firefighting Battalion A immediately rushed forward. If it were veterans, it wouldn't have been a big deal, but the participants were all three-month recruits, so that soldier had certainly brought honor to their team. Following the method Duncan had taught them, Firefighting Battalion A counted down and tossed Dugu Qiu into the air, then carried him around to show off to the other teams. Team Leader Wang Qinian was beaming with joy and pride. He was certain he would receive praise and commendation from his superiors, and he'd have plenty to brag about to the other officers.

...

Late October of the fifth year of the Tianqi reign.

General Mao Wenlong of Dongjiang Town sent an urgent report to the court, the Liaodong Governor's Office, and the entire Dongjiang Town. He first reported that only the Bordered Blue Banner remained of the Later Jin army facing the Dongjiang headquarters and the Right Wing.

Secondly, Mao Wenlong reported the news he had just gathered: Nurhaci had ordered the main forces of seven banners to concentrate in Liaoyang, and also ordered each Niru (military unit) to send one oxcart and twenty handcarts to accompany the army. Mao Wenlong estimated that the Later Jin would deploy 160 Niru, 15,000 armored soldiers on the left flank, plus unarmored soldiers, totaling 40,000 to 45,000 troops to attack the Liaoxi Corridor. Mao Wenlong predicted the specific date of the attack would be December 15th of the fifth year of the Tianqi reign.

(Historically, Mao Wenlong had predicted in his Dongjiang report two months in advance that the Later Jin would send 40,000 to 50,000 troops to Liaoxi on the 15th day of the first month of the sixth year of the Tianqi reign. Nurhaci's actual departure was on the 16th day of the first month, a difference of one day from Mao Wenlong's prediction. The Liaodong Military Governor's report to the court stated that the Later Jin forces numbered "40,000," while the Ming Ministry of War later estimated it to be "approximately 50,000.") On

the 25th day of the tenth month of the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, the Dongjiang Garrison headquarters issued a report and ordered martial law.

On the 27th, Chen Jisheng, the Right Assistant Commander of the Dongjiang Garrison, ordered a

mobilization and martial law. On the 29th, the various units of the Left Assistant Commander of the Dongjiang Garrison successively ordered a full mobilization and martial law in their territories.

...

The Liaodong Military Governor's Office at Shanhaiguan.

Yang Qi, one of the five generals of Guan Ning, clung to the leg of Gao Di, who had succeeded him as the Liaodong military commissioner, and cried out in tears, "Lord Gao, we cannot fight in the open fields, and we cannot defend the area outside the pass!"

It had been less than a month since Gao Di was appointed to Liaodong, and Yang

Qi had only been at Shanhaiguan for three days. Seeing Gao Di's worried face and his reluctance to immediately agree, Yang Qi pleaded again, "Lord Gao, let our men retreat to the interior!"

Chapter 35: Sweeping Through the Army Like a Rolling Mat (Chapter 35: The Imperial Prison)

November 1st, Tianqi Year 5, the capital.

The incident during the last planned audience with the emperor had left Huang Shi suspicious for a long time, and the words he had overheard had terrified him for days. Huang Shi vaguely remembered that Tianqi had fallen into the water in the summer, caught a chill, and died. If the carpenter emperor had fallen into an ice hole in the winter, he would likely have no chance of survival.

However, after several days and seeing everything calm in the capital, Huang Shi began to wonder if he was being overly anxious. Finally, he managed to find out some news from the palace: it turned out that only a eunuch had fallen into an ice hole and drowned that day. The more troublesome thing was that this drowned eunuch had always been quite favored. Emperor Tianqi had reigned for many years, and everyone in the inner and outer court knew that he was "averse to women," and for many

years, those who had won his favor were mostly junior eunuchs. For example, the junior eunuch who drowned this time was one of them, surnamed Li, and known in the palace as "Miss Li." This eunuch was ice fishing when he unfortunately fell in. However, Miss Li had been very popular with the emperor for several years, to the point that there were numerous records of "if Miss Li was ill and did not attend, the banquet would be inconvenient." Therefore, the emperor was very sad and suddenly lost the will to see Huang Shi.

From Huang Shi's modern perspective, while this was a matter of "everyone has their own ambitions," it didn't seem like a particularly glorious thing. As for Tianqi's preference for carpentry over serving as a decorative figure or wax figure in the court, Huang Shi found that quite understandable. However, the standards of the late Ming Dynasty scholar-officials were completely different from Huang Shi's values. They were very dissatisfied with Tianqi

's refusal to sit idly for a day watching the cabinet infighting, but they didn't think much of the emperor's fondness for men, and even...seemed to have a hint of approval. "The emperor does not indulge in women," "The monarch does not love beauties who could topple kingdoms"—these praises of Tianqi that filled Huang Shi's ears made him increasingly uneasy. It seemed that in the eyes of the late Ming officials, an emperor who liked beautiful women was a foolish and tyrannical ruler, but one who liked men was a display of masculinity and gentlemanly conduct. What kind of logic was this?

Huang Shi guessed that this was because the late Ming Dynasty civil service was generally fond of male beauty, with very few exceptions, so they had to desperately beautify this trend. Ultimately, male beauty was artificially elevated to the level of noble character, dashing charm, and gentlemanly self-discipline. For example, in Beijing at that time, brothels were generally considered low-class places frequented by commoners, while most officials sought out male companions. When Ming Dynasty scholars traveled for their studies, they brought pageboys instead of maids to appear cultured; of course, pageboys were also more suitable for running errands and doing physical labor.

In short, the root of this problem lay with the Ming Taizu (Emperor Hongwu). He was clearly worried that some corrupt officials would use women for bribery or embezzlement, so he issued an edict prohibiting officials from bringing their wives or engaging in prostitution when traveling for official duties. This rule was enforced for hundreds of years in the Ming Dynasty, and its impact was probably beyond what the Ming Taizu had anticipated.

When the Tianqi Emperor emerged, a ruler who didn't utilize his harem, officials were naturally overjoyed, feeling a sense of "I am not alone." "Abstaining from women" was a major aspect of the Tianqi Emperor's reputation, praised by his courtiers. Another significant influence was that ministers refrained from mentioning Zhu Youjian leaving the capital to assume his fiefdom. By the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, most officials considered Zhu Youjian the heir apparent, and some even suggested establishing a Chamberlain's Office or hiring tutors for him, following the precedent of previous crown princes.

Huang Shi didn't particularly want Zhu Youjian to ascend the throne. He didn't have a good impression of this last emperor. He felt that Zhu Youjian secretly hoped to govern the country like his ancestor Zhu Hongwu, but unfortunately, he lacked Zhu Hongwu's abilities and tended to employ ambitious but incompetent people—in short, he lacked the ability to judge character. However, this was not something Huang Shi could interfere with. Zhu Youjian's succession was the hope of both the court and the people. Moreover… history had indeed changed slightly. Perhaps if Tianqi had lived a few more years, and had a stronger sense of family responsibility, he might have reluctantly chosen a woman to bear an heir for the Ming Dynasty and for himself.

Or perhaps Tianqi would have lived until the birth of Zhu Youjian's son, in which case his nephew might have succeeded to the throne. Huang Shi thought that if this were the case, Tianqi would probably have chosen Sun Chengzong as his regent. Without Emperor Tianqi's support, Wei Zhongxian would be nothing more than a dog.

However, given the precedent of Jiajing, the Ming officials might be terrified of the idea of history repeating itself, fearing another "Dali Case."

Huang Shi eventually realized that all of this was just wishful thinking. This kind of thing was a problem that only God could solve; his constant speculation was pointless.

Three days after learning that Xiong Tingbi had ultimately been executed by Emperor Tianqi, Huang Shi had been waiting at the post station for Wei Zhongxian's messenger. This afternoon, a palace eunuch was sent to guide him to the imperial prison. Huang Shi took out a cloth bag and followed the eunuch. The bag contained some papers. Huang Shi often felt inept at planning and strategy, so he planned to take this last chance to see Xiong Tingbi and ask him some questions about the big picture.

After entering the prison, the eunuch handed the warrant to a guard and then said to Huang Shi with a smile, "The Imperial Censor has already instructed us. General Huang has only matters of great importance to discuss, and we are not allowed to listen."

While the eunuch was speaking, the Imperial Guards in the prison had already seen the warrant and stood aside nodding frequently. After the eunuch finished speaking, an Imperial Guard took out the key tray and made a gesture of invitation: "General Huang, please follow me."

Huang Shi nodded, unfastened his sword and handed it to the guard next to him, and followed the Imperial Guard into the depths of the corridor.

The long corridor was lined with cells of the Imperial Prison. For hundreds of years, the prisoners and their families held here had all been prominent figures; ordinary people would never have the chance to be imprisoned in the Jinyiwei's jail. Among these figures, countless had successfully restored their former power, regained their imperial favor, and been reborn. Therefore, the guards of the Imperial Prison dared not offend their prisoners.

Huang Shi's gaze swept over the cells. All the rooms were spotless, with even clean curtains hanging outside the cell doors. There was no smell of decay, let alone any stench. On the contrary, Huang Shi smelled fresh hay, indicating that the guards of the Imperial Prison regularly cleaned the cells for the prisoners.

The Jinyiwei guard in front of him stopped in front of a cell door. He coughed lightly and asked, "Is Mr. Xiong here?"

His tone was so polite that it didn't sound like he was speaking to a death row inmate, but rather like he was greeting an elder. Seeing this, Huang Shi thought to himself, "It seems the Embroidered Uniform Guards in the Imperial Prison are determined not to offend anyone until a head rolls."

Actually, Huang Shi misunderstood these Embroidered Uniform Guards. Their resolve was: even if they saw heads roll, they would absolutely not offend anyone. Those who could spend several years in the Imperial Prison were all powerful figures outside, their presence enough to shake the ground. Although these Embroidered Uniform Guards were the emperor's personal guards, they were ultimately still minor figures. If they truly offended someone about to die, it was hard to guarantee that this person wouldn't have any protégés or former officials who could exonerate them. For example, Xiong Tingbi had served as the Liaodong Military Commissioner for several years. Even if he couldn't overturn his own case, if one of his powerful friends was determined to punish a lowly Embroidered Uniform Guard soldier on his behalf, these powerless guards would still find it unbearable.

For a long time, no one inside made a sound. The Imperial Guard politely called out twice more in a low voice, then turned slightly and stuck out his tongue at Huang Shi: "We can only force our way into the prison when an official ordered by imperial decree comes to bring someone to court, and the prisoner refuses to come out no matter what. After all, they are all high-ranking officials with official titles."

Huang Shi took a small step forward and asked in the same low voice, "Brother, you're too kind. But may I introduce myself and request an audience with Mr. Xiong?"

"Of course," the Imperial Guard readily agreed. He certainly didn't want to offend Xiong Tingbi, but he didn't want to offend Huang Shi and Wei Zhongxian even more. Now that Huang Shi had taken on the difficult task himself, he was naturally very pleased. The Imperial Guard took a few steps back and respectfully said, "General Huang, please."

Huang Shi adjusted his cloak, took two steps forward, and stood outside Xiong Tingbi's prison door, bowing deeply respectfully through the curtain. As he bowed respectfully, he called out loudly, "This humble one, Huang Shi, requests an audience with Master Xiong."

After he finished speaking, Huang Shi, bowing deeply, heard whispers coming from several nearby cells. Over the years, Huang Shi's reputation had grown considerably. The emperor and core members of the cabinet could access Huang Shi's memorials and original records, so they considered his victories within acceptable limits. However, other officials unrelated to the war rarely had access to the cabinet's confidential documents, so their sources of information were mostly rumors. The stories circulating in the market were far more fantastical than Huang Shi's reported victory of 800 against 6,000.

For example, the Battle of Nanguan was rumored to have resulted in one battalion defeating three banners. As for the Battle of Difuzhou, Huang Shi frankly discussed the issue of being tricked in his memorial, mentioning the various Liaonan and Dongjiang tribes who had fought alongside him. But in the gossip of the streets, these allies were naturally ignored by Huang Shi's admirers. Since the last battle at Nanguan involved one battalion defeating three banners, this time it was naturally two battalions defeating six banners.

The stories of Huang Shi, passed down orally by storytellers, became increasingly fantastical. Those who fell into ambushes or traps were all changed by the storytellers to Mangultai. This unfortunate fellow, a participant in both battles, had his banner and golden helmet, presented by Huang Shi, displayed on the Imperial Street by order of the Tianqi Emperor. Thus, Mangultai became a laughingstock among the people of Beijing; everyone knew him as a notorious fool. One consequence of this was that the generals of Dongjiang, whom Mangultai had defeated, were subjected to even greater contempt, even if they had lost due to numerical inferiority. Only Zhang Pan, who died a heroic death, escaped much ridicule.

In Xiong Tingbi's cell, the rustling of straw was initially heard, but after a moment, silence fell. Huang Shi didn't wait long, and immediately spoke in a loud voice, "This humble one—Huang Shi, Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent, Associate Commander-in-Chief, Hereditary Commander of Liaodong, and Left Assistant General of Dongjiang Town—has come here to humbly request an audience with Mr. Xiong."

Whispers and low gasps of surprise rose from the surrounding cells. After confirming Huang Shi's identity, many of the curtains fluttered and were lifted open. Countless eyes peered out, scrutinizing his entire body.

Huang Shi remained motionless, waiting, but he could feel the eager gazes lingering around him. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed some eyes hidden behind the curtain, filled with curiosity and shyness. The owners of those eyes fluttered their long eyelashes, desperately scrutinizing this legendary, invincible general.

At that moment, a long sigh came from Xiong Tingbi's cell: "Come in."

"Thank you, Mr. Xiong," Huang Shi replied through the curtain, then straightened his back and stepped aside to let the Imperial Guard open the cell door.

As the Imperial Guard opened the door, Huang Shi's gaze swept across the surrounding cells, finding eyes everywhere. Some of the timid women flinched, but most didn't miss the opportunity to observe the "star" up close. They covered their faces with cloth, bravely looking at Huang Shi alongside the male prisoners, showing no hesitation in meeting his gaze.

At this moment, the Imperial Guard had already opened the cell door. He turned to Huang Shi and smiled, "General Huang, please come in."

As Huang Shi walked past the Imperial Guard, he whispered in his ear, "Brother, could you bring me a pot of good tea? I'll thank you when I get out."

Knowing that Huang Shi didn't want to pay in front of so many eyes, the Imperial Guard smiled and said, "Of course, General Huang, please have a seat. I'll bring the tea shortly."

After saying that, Huang Shi lifted the curtain and entered, blocking countless gazes from the outside.

It was a fairly spacious single cell with a window in the opposite wall that let in light. Under the window was a wooden plank bed. The bed sat on the dry straw used to dehumidify the ground, and a small table was placed on it. Xiong Tingbi, the former Liaodong military commissioner, sat cross-legged on the bed, wearing a tattered white cloth shirt. Despite his long imprisonment, Xiong Tingbi's hair was still neatly combed. He casually rested his arms on the small table on the bed, his gaze fixed intently on Huang Shi—the same gaze he had shown during their last meeting.

Upon entering the cell, Huang Shi took two small steps forward and stood still. As if oblivious to Xiong Tingbi's posture, he brought his legs together and bowed deeply again: "Young man, greetings to Mr. Xiong."

Xiong Tingbi laughed heartily. He slapped his thigh twice, making a loud cracking sound: "General Huang, you are a second-rank official of the court, while I am but a prisoner awaiting death. I am unworthy to be addressed as 'Mr.'"

Huang Shi was not offended. He clasped his hands and said, "Lord Xiong..."

But he was immediately interrupted. Xiong Tingbi laughed again and said, "You don't deserve the title 'Lord'."

Huang Shi was momentarily speechless, and the room fell silent. Seeing this, Xiong Tingbi sneered, "General Huang, feel free to call me 'Xiong Tingbi.' Everyone has been calling me that these past few years, and most of them are of much lower rank than you."

Judging solely from Xiong Tingbi's posture and tone, Huang Shi would have thought he was deliberately trying to start a fight. Fortunately, Huang Shi knew Xiong Tingbi wasn't that kind of person; since he'd let him in, he must have wanted to talk. Moreover, Huang Shi was certain Xiong Tingbi had a lot to say and many unfulfilled ambitions.

Thinking this, Huang Shi straightened up, his face showing no anger but rather a faint smile. But seeing the smile on Huang Shi's lips only made Xiong Tingbi more displeased. After a moment's thought, he chuckled again, "General Huang must know I'm setting off tomorrow, so you've come here specifically to see me make a fool of myself."

Xiong Tingbi spread his right hand, "General Huang, please, go ahead and lecture this old man. I'm all ears."

Huang Shi sighed inwardly. This Xiong Tingbi, nicknamed "Big Stinky Mouth Xiong," had offended countless people over the years because of his sharp tongue. Now, knowing he had no way out, Xiong Tingbi, in his bitterness, naturally unleashed all his lifelong hobbies and habits. Huang Shi understood that he had simply walked right into Xiong Tingbi's trap.

"This junior has some military matters I'm not quite clear on, so I've come to seek your advice, Elder Xiong." Huang Shi maintained a humble expression, calmly adding, "If Elder Xiong has any unfinished business, I'm willing to help."

"Haha—ha!" Xiong Tingbi burst into another fit of wild laughter, as if he'd never heard anything so funny before, doubled over in laughter. He laughed for a while before managing to stop, his face flushed. Pointing a finger at Huang Shi, he coughed and loudly asked, "What can a border soldier like you do for this old man? Are you awake?"

Just then, a shout came from outside; it was the guard bringing tea. Huang Shi turned and took the tray, which contained a large pot of hot tea and two teacups.

—Death is the only hardship of all ages. Even Xiong Tingbi, this renowned minister, in his final moments of family ruin and death, finally lost his composure slightly. How could he treat a junior like me like this?

—In Xiong Tingbi's career, only Wanli Emperor truly valued and trusted him. Emperor Wanli had done his utmost to protect Xiong Tingbi during his lifetime, but with Wanli's death, Xiong Tingbi's career was effectively over.

Huang Shi, pondering his own thoughts, politely placed the tray on Xiong Tingbi's table, then took a large step back: "Uncle Xiong, how did the late Emperor treat you?"

(Chapter 36: Wisdom and Courage)

After Nurhaci won the Battle of Sarhu, Wanli immediately promoted Xiong Tingbi to the position of Liaodong commander. Under Xiong Tingbi's governance, the Liaodong border troops quickly recovered. Commander Xiong focused on developing the army's field combat capabilities. During his tenure in Liaodong, he withstood pressure from the military and the court to dismantle the various battalions and petitioned the emperor to transfer border troops from all over the country to Liaodong as a seed force.

After more than a year, Nurhaci's raids on Liaodong had been largely stopped, and the Ming army even launched counterattacks in some areas. For example, Mao Wenlong, the garrison commander of Dingliao Right Guard at the time, recovered several fortresses within the border wall and was commended and recommended by Xiong Tingbi. It was during this period that Mao Wenlong gradually established a high reputation among the people of Liaodong, and later formed the Dongjiang Army.

Xiong Tingbi also implemented a strict economic blockade policy, using both soft and hard tactics to force the Mongol tribes to cease trade with the Later Jin regime. In June of the first year of the Taichang reign, Nurhaci launched a full-scale attack on Shenyang, but his vanguard was defeated twice in open battle by Xiong Tingbi within three days (this was the first and second field victory of the Ming army against the elite forces of the Later Jin central government after the Battle of Sarhu), and retreated in disgrace to Hetu Ala. The Mongols, who had previously been opportunistic, also severed ties with Nurhaci after seeing the Ming army's shift from defense to offense.

However, all their hopes for the war vanished with the death of Wanli Emperor. Before his death, Emperor Wanli kept all impeachment memorials against Xiong Tingbi hidden from public view. Even when he was bedridden with illness on his deathbed, he read Xiong Tingbi's memorials daily and immediately granted his requests with imperial funds to avoid missing any opportunities.

Before Wanli's death, the general consensus among court officials was that Xiong Tingbi was nothing special. Through careful observation, they arrogantly concluded that Xiong Tingbi merely asked the emperor for money, spent his free time training troops, repairing castles, and occasionally engaging in diplomacy with the Mongols—nothing remarkable. Since he didn't have to personally risk his life, most civil officials believed they could do better than Xiong Tingbi, or at least not worse.

After Wanli's death, the powerful Donglin Party, blinded by the victory in the Liaodong campaign, falsely labeled Xiong Tingbi a member of a "wicked party," removing him from office. And then…and the favorable situation in Liaodong vanished, and the border troops Xiong Tingbi had trained disappeared.

Upon hearing Huang Shi's question, Xiong Tingbi recalled the Wanli Emperor's trust and promotion of him, as well as his near-failure at the last moment. Overwhelmed with mixed emotions, he was speechless. He narrowed his eyes in silent thought, his Adam's apple bobbing and gurgling, as if he were forcibly suppressing an angry roar in his chest.

"If, if Emperor Xian were still alive, still alive..." When Xiong Tingbi opened his mouth again, his breathing was like the cold wind blowing from a broken bellows, so hoarse that it was unbearable to hear. Xiong Tingbi's words also became stuttering: "If Emperor Xian were still, if he were still to give me another three years, no, no, not even that long, just give me two more years, even if the Jianzhou Jurchens were not wiped out, they would have starved to death in the mountains. Why would we have to suffer this calamity today? Why would we have to spend millions of taels of silver on military expenses every year?"

Xiong Tingbi became impassioned and spirited as he spoke: "Young man, you should know that my current predicament is not due to incompetence, but rather to the treachery and machinations of treacherous officials in the court..."

In fact, Huang Shi knew very well that Xiong Tingbi was not a completely excellent commander, because Xiong Tingbi's personal flaws were too obvious. He seemed to have no understanding of the treacherous nature of officialdom, and did not know how to get along with his colleagues. Therefore, once he lost Wanli as his backer, Xiong Tingbi was immediately attacked by the masses in the infighting court.

When Xiong Tingbi and Wang Huazhen served as the Liaodong Military Commissioner and Governor, respectively, Wang Huazhen submitted a memorial to the court proposing to organize the Guangning Army with 130,000 troops and an annual budget of 3 million taels of silver to secure the Hexi Corridor. Xiong Tingbi openly opposed this, saying that if Wang Huazhen were to lead the army, elite troops would have to be drawn from across the country, with an annual budget of 10 million taels of silver, to form the 400,000-strong Guangning Army to ensure peace.

Later, based on Nurhaci's strength of only 20,000 armored soldiers, Wang Huazhen proposed to attack Hedong with 60,000 combat troops, a three-fold advantage, and boldly declared the slogan "We will surely wipe out the Jianzhou barbarians in one fell swoop." After reviewing Wang Huazhen's military plan, Xiong Tingbi offered no comment, instead submitting a memorial to the Tianqi Emperor stating that Wang Huazhen and his 60,000 troops "will surely be wiped out by the Jianzhou Jurchens in one fell swoop!"

The Emperor appointed Zhang Heming and others from the Donglin Party to handle the She'an Rebellion and the Jianzhou Rebellion. Xiong Tingbi then sarcastically remarked that Zhang Heming and his ilk were all incompetent, their only skills being visiting brothels and spouting pretentious poetry. He also predicted that the government troops in Liaodong and Yunnan would inevitably suffer a major defeat.

Through these and other means, Xiong Tingbi ultimately found himself surrounded by enemies. Moreover, this foul-mouthed Xiong was remarkably accurate in his predictions; all those he mocked indeed fell from grace as he foresaw. Afterwards, Xiong Tingbi would always gloat over his fallen adversaries, repeatedly emphasizing his foresight, resulting in all those who worked with him harboring deep resentment towards him.

In Huang Shi's private opinion, Xiong Tingbi possesses keen observation skills, quick reflexes, outstanding strategic vision, and is confident and decisive—an excellent chief of staff… probably better than the current chief of staff of Changsheng Island, Jin Qiude. However, Huang Shi believes he is not very suitable to be a commander. Among the famous ministers of the late Ming Dynasty, Huang Shi most admires Sun Chengzong's magnanimity, Xiong Tingbi's strategy and tactics, and Lu Xiangshan's bravery and courage. But personally, he would definitely prefer to serve Sun Chengzong rather than work for Xiong Tingbi.

However, Huang Shi does not intend to waste time on this issue, because he is here to handle serious business. No matter how furious Xiong Tingbi becomes, he will absolutely not argue or quarrel with him. Xiong Tingbi's current reaction is exactly what Huang Shi expected. After the former Liaodong military commissioner finished venting his anger, he spoke softly again: "The Emperor has entrusted the Liaodong affairs to Elder Xiong. Tomorrow, when Elder Xiong meets the Emperor in the afterlife, how will he explain this to him?"

Xiong Tingbi's face darkened, his expression full of displeasure: "It's not that I don't want to repay the Emperor's great favor in promoting me, but wolves and treacherous officials are in power, and the court is full of villains. By sunset tomorrow, I will already be on my way to the Yellow Springs. What can I do? What can I do?"

"What I just mentioned as Lord Xiong's unfinished business is precisely this matter." Huang Shi gently removed his helmet with both hands, cradling it in his left arm, and said solemnly to Xiong Tingbi, "I am unworthy, but I wish to take your will as my own. I dare to ask Lord Xiong to teach me the methods to pacify Liaodong in two years. On the day of our great success and the execution of the Jurchen chieftain, I will personally offer sacrifices to Lord Xiong's spirit in heaven."

Xiong Tingbi stared at the serious-looking Huang Shi for a moment, then murmured, "Pacifying Liaodong in two years? That refers to before the Jurchens entered Liaodong. Now that the Jurchens have gained momentum, two years is probably too late. Although Minister Sun has lofty aspirations, he excels in strategy but is weak in military affairs. I fear the soldiers he trains will be of little use."

"Lord Xiong, you are wise. I have some experience in training troops, but I lack the skill to apply it effectively." Huang Shi paused, noticing the suspicious look on Xiong Tingbi's face, and continued, "Lord Xiong, you will no longer be a man of this world tomorrow, so I dare not deceive you. In the Battle of Fuzhou, I led five battalions against seventy Niru of the Jurchens; this was not mere boasting."

Huang Shi then puffed out his chest again. Xiong Tingbi kept his mouth tightly shut, squinting as he scrutinized him. Huang Shi met his gaze without fear. The two men, one standing and one sitting, stared at each other like two motionless stone statues.

Xiong Tingbi's furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and his eyes began to move again. He looked Huang Shi up and down, then slowly withdrew his hands, propped himself up on the bed, moved his body to the edge, and with a sigh, moved his legs off the bed. Huang Shi watched as Xiong Tingbi groped for his cloth shoes. After Xiong Tingbi sat up, he rested his left arm on the small table on the bed and gestured with his right hand towards the guest seat on his left: "Young man—sit."

...

After briefly recounting the events of several battles, Huang Shi began to talk about his training methods, something he was particularly proud of. He spoke with great enthusiasm: "After each battle, I mix veterans and new recruits. One veteran leads one new recruit, and the resulting battalion is quite formidable."

Xiong Tingbi frowned slightly, stroked his beard, and said, "Mixing veterans and new recruits, that seems to be my method."

In recent decades, especially in the Liaodong region, only Xiong Tingbi had indeed done this, so he believed that Huang Shi was clearly copying his method. Huang Shi didn't argue, but simply smiled and nodded, saying, "It was indeed Master Xiong's brilliant plan. I've copied it down. Please don't be offended, Master Xiong."

These words immediately eased Xiong Tingbi's furrowed brows. He magnanimously waved his hand, saying, "No, no. General Huang, you've copied it well; feel free to use it. However, there are a few key points here. Let me point them out to you!"

Huang Shi smiled and lightly clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "Thank you for your understanding, Master Xiong. Please enlighten me." After half a day of conversation, he felt he had a better grasp of the other man's temperament. Xiong Tingbi was rather vain and quite fond of playing the role of a teacher.

"It's certainly not wrong for veterans to train new recruits separately, but it's a huge waste for one veteran to train one new recruit, and it's incredibly foolish to do this for all three battalions and fifteen infantry units. The correct approach is for each new battalion to have one veteran train five new recruits, while the veteran battalions only need to be reinforced with a small number of new recruits. This way, we can quickly form a strong force and a large number of new, combat-ready troops. Besides, whether a veteran trains one or five new recruits, it doesn't make much difference to the new recruits' development." Xiong Tingbi waved his arms in the air as he spoke, his hands clenching into fists when he got excited. He keenly noticed some confusion on Huang Shi's face and immediately shouted, "Boy, is there something you don't understand?"

Huang Shi was indeed a little confused, and he hurriedly asked, "Lord Xiong, wouldn't this make some units very weak in combat? What if the enemy attacks these..."

"What an idiot," Xiong Tingbi rudely interrupted Huang Shi. He retorted loudly, "You know perfectly well which force is strong and which is weak. Just let the stronger force attack the enemy, and the weaker force provide cover, right?"

"For example, the Battle of Fuzhou you just mentioned," Xiong Tingbi said, grabbing the paper on the table and pointing to the battlefield diagram Huang Shi had just drawn, "You used a foolish circular formation. When you use a circular formation, one battalion breaks through, and another provides cover, right? That means half the veterans are just watching, not fighting. If you hadn't made all your infantry units like that, you could have set up a long formation and used over 70% of your veterans in the first assault, while simultaneously launching diversionary attacks on both flanks of the main road. Once you broke through the Jurchen's central defenses, you could have quickly flanked them. If I had commanded that battle, the Jurchens would never have had the chance to fight such a disastrous battle."

Huang Shi hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Lord Xiong, what if the Jurchens happened to attack my weakest unit?"

"You make predictions!" Xiong Tingbi's eyes widened, his finger jabbing the simple map on the paper several times, the force almost as if he wanted to pierce the table. "Based on the terrain and the weather, compare the enemy's and our own troop strength and types, predict the enemy's formation, possible attack routes, attack locations, and the number of troops that can be deployed each time. Then you can make counter-deployments."

"Could you tell me how to make predictions, Master Xiong?" Xiong

Tingbi's beard bristled. He stared at Huang Shi for a long time as if he were a stranger, a look of disdain on his face, and a mocking smile. "General Huang, you are truly overrated! Do you even know how to fight?"

Huang Shi's face immediately turned red. For a long time, Huang Shi had relied on brute force to win. He knew that his command was indeed very crude, but he had long since given up the idea of competing with the famous generals of ancient times in terms of command skills.

But before he could speak, Xiong Tingbi frowned again: "That's not right. I just saw you briefly describe the Battle of Jinzhou, and your prediction seemed very accurate." As he

spoke, Xiong Tingbi pulled out a diagram of the Battle of Jinzhou from below. The Battle of Jinzhou that Huang Shi had told him was the true story, not some 800 defeating 6,000. Xiong Tingbi frowned deeply and began to carefully question Huang Shi about the course of the battle. This time, Xiong Tingbi meticulously analyzed every detail of the battles, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper, muttering repeatedly, "Fool, utter fool."

After questioning Huang Shi about the battles of Jinzhou, Gaizhou, and Nanguan, Xiong Tingbi looked up, his eyes full of bewilderment: "Young man, your battle of Jinzhou was brilliant, comparable to the famous generals of antiquity. Even I, an old man, feel ashamed of my own inferiority. How could Gaizhou and Nanguan have turned out like this? It's simply...it's like heaven and earth. Hmm, did you suffer some serious illness after the battle of Jinzhou?"

Huang Shi inwardly felt ashamed. In the battle of Jinzhou, he had the advantage of history in ambushing the fleeing Later Jin army, knowing their every move beforehand, giving him a strategic advantage. But in the battle of Gaizhou, Huang Shi was completely clueless. And in the battle of Nanguan, Huang Shi's opponent was a first-rate military strategist of the era, and Huang Shi had won each time solely through brute force.

Xiong Tingbi glanced suspiciously at Huang Shi, who was sweating profusely, then looked down at the Battle of Nanguan, muttering to himself, "A real fool... but your strength is truly remarkable. You managed to turn the tide in such a situation. I don't recall the Jurchens being this weak."

"Alright," Xiong Tingbi put the paper aside and quickly scanned the map of the Battle of Fuzhou. "Let's talk about that battle again!"

Although he knew he wouldn't get a good evaluation, Huang Shi understood that now was not the time to save face. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and steeled himself. "Well, Lord Xiong, this battle was like this..."

...

Xiong Tingbi, his eyes glazed over, stared blankly at the map, unable to utter a word. Huang Shi felt sorry for him, and said in a low voice with shame, "Lord Xiong, I know I am indeed a fool. I have disappointed you."

Xiong Tingbi seemed not to hear Huang Shi's words, remaining frozen in place. Seeing this, Huang Shi called out softly again, "Lord Xiong."

"Ah," Xiong Tingbi, as if waking from a dream, looked at the map and shook his head, sighing repeatedly, "General Huang, in my opinion, your ability to assess the enemy and deploy troops is only average, at best above average. In the battle of Fuzhou, you underestimated the enemy and advanced recklessly, you fell into an ambush, you set up a circular formation that couldn't utilize your troops' strength, you didn't conduct any diversionary attacks, and you also encountered chevaux-de-frise and crossbows, but..." Xiong Tingbi lightly drew a line on the official road with his finger, his eyelids lifting as he stared intently at Huang Shi's face: "You just used a single infantry unit to charge so simply, and the Jurchens collapsed?"

Huang Shi answered softly, "Yes."

The man opposite him had a face that kept changing, his expression sometimes unfathomable, sometimes ferocious and terrifying, truly extremely strange...

"A genius of the world!" Xiong Tingbi shouted and jumped up from the bed, bowing deeply with his hands clasped: "General Huang, I am convinced."

...

It was already dawn, and Xiong Tingbi, having been confined in the prison for so long, was finally exhausted. He covered his mouth with his hand and yawned heavily. After a day and a night of long talks, Xiong Tingbi had imparted all the essence of his knowledge and learning to Huang Shi, hoping that Huang Shi would be less likely to fall into traps and suffer losses in

the future. Xiong Tingbi smiled at Huang Shi, who was still engrossed in taking notes, and said, "General Huang, before you know it, it's already dawn." Huang Shi had finished writing the last few words, put the pen aside, and looked at the several teapots piled on the ground. Last night, Huang Shi and Xiong Tingbi had indeed drunk quite a bit of strong tea to stay awake. He glanced at the sky outside, a deep pang of sympathy piercing his heart for Xiong Tingbi: "I will certainly study Xiong Weng's teachings from last night thoroughly. I only fear my limited abilities and lack of strategic acumen will render Xiong Weng's efforts futile."

Xiong Tingbi shook his head: "No, General Huang, you mustn't underestimate yourself. In the end, battles are a contest of military strength. The military strategists' emphasis on wisdom and strategy is merely about using strategy to weaken the opponent. A wise general strategizes against the enemy; a truly wise man, if the enemy has ten parts of strength, first weakens nine, then uses his full strength to defeat the remaining enemy. Therefore, a wise general is invincible; a brave general strategizes..." "I am a man of great courage. One of my strength can be equal to ten of his, and ten of his strength can be equal to a hundred. Therefore, a brave general is invincible."

He paused for a moment, a satisfied smile appearing on his face. "Though wisdom and courage differ, they ultimately lead to the same goal. Now, seeing General Huang's courage, the defeat of the Jianzhou Jurchens is certain. Even in the netherworld, I will have no regrets. Haha, even if the Emperor Xian reproaches me for the Liaodong affair, I can entrust everything to General Huang." After

finishing,

Xiong Tingbi's expression turned bitter, his laughter growing heavier, filled with the sorrow of a hero's end.

"I can finally give an account to the Emperor Xian," Xiong Tingbi murmured again, his voice hoarse at the end, his head drooping, as if all the heroic spirit of the night had vanished.

Huang Shi stared at the man opposite him, his eyes welling up with tears. To cover his tracks, Huang Shi hurriedly said loudly, "Old Xiong, I will always keep the pacification of Liaodong in mind. I dare ask you to wait patiently for several years, and good news will surely come."

Xiong Tingbi raised his head and looked over, then suddenly sneered again, "General Huang, why are your eyes red? Haha, General Huang, are you deliberately trying to disgust this old man with this childish act?"

Although Xiong Tingbi's words were still unpleasant, the stubborn old man's eyes were full of warmth, a look full of approval and appreciation, which gave Huang Shi a sense of déjà vu, as if he had seen it somewhere before, on someone's face, but Huang Shi couldn't remember where.

Seeing Huang Shi staring blankly, Xiong Tingbi teased him a couple more times. Then, realizing he was being frivolous, Huang Shi composed himself and shook his head: "General Huang, there's no need to be in such a hurry. You must know that haste makes waste. As for time, three years is acceptable, five years is acceptable, even ten years is acceptable. I've heard that many of General Huang's soldiers have only been in the army for a few years, yet they've already fought six or seven battles and won them all. These are truly rare elites in Liaodong. I originally thought that given the current situation in Liaodong, such..." " Strong soldiers are a rare find, and I never expected General Huang to possess such talent. I hope you will make good use of him and cherish him greatly."

As he finished speaking, Xiong Tingbi's face was full of earnestness, as if a teacher were instructing a student: "Unfortunately, my lifespan has come to an end. After noon, General Huang will still be a living person, while I will be a ghost in the underworld. This—I do intend to visit you in the future…" Xiong Tingbi glanced at Huang Shi again. He slowly picked up his teacup: "I'm just afraid that General Huang will find me unlucky and refuse to see me."

Huang Shi was taken aback before understanding Xiong Tingbi's meaning. He hurriedly said, "If Elder Xiong has the time to humbly offer his guidance, I would be most honored."

Xiong Tingbi knew his journey was futile, but seeing Huang Shi respond as if it were the truth, and even act with utmost respect, Xiong Tingbi felt even more sorrowful, spilling water from his teacup. He hurriedly put down the teacup, wiping his clothes and forcing a smile, saying, "General Huang's hospitality is truly admirable. But I imagine your camp must be brimming with yang energy, and your weapons stained with countless lives. How could I, a mere wandering ghost, dare to visit you so rashly? Wouldn't I be terrified of my soul being scattered?"

Huang Shi lowered his head, remaining silent.

Xiong Tingbi slowly filled the teacup with water, then picked it up, took a small sip, and said, "These insights of mine are quite rough. If they were given to an ordinary scholar, they would certainly be of no benefit whatsoever. But General Huang has been on the battlefield for many years, so these things can be considered valuable lessons from others. General Huang, you are not even thirty years old yet you have already reached the second rank and are famous throughout the land, but you have absolutely no air of arrogance. That is truly rare."

"You flatter me, Master Xiong."

"I am not flattered!" Xiong Tingbi firmly denied Huang Shi's modesty. He recalled Huang Shi's unreserved self-disclosure of his shortcomings yesterday and couldn't help but sigh, "In terms of not seeking empty fame, I am afraid I am not as good as you. It is a real pity that General Huang is not a scholar; otherwise, he could have become a general or prime minister and his name would have been recorded in history."

At this moment, Huang Shi realized that Xiong Tingbi's tone was somewhat similar to that of Gao Bangzuo back then. Even Xiong Tingbi's eyes at this moment were extremely similar to those of Gao Bangzuo when he presented the book. Huang Shi vaguely felt that the two were almost the same person.

Huang Shi had another concern during his visit to Xiong Tingbi: to uncover the spies hidden among Xiong's ranks and to find out who had persuaded Xiong to order the burning of the fortresses in Liaoxi. However, Huang Shi felt this question might deeply wound Xiong's pride. Seeing Xiong's improved mood earlier, he was even less inclined to spoil his mood. Yet, the matter was of utmost importance; though reluctant to speak of it, Huang Shi felt that failing to clarify it would pose a dangerous hidden danger.

In his daze, Huang Shi heard Xiong Tingbi say, "General Huang, I have a request."

Huang Shi stood up respectfully, bowed, and said, "Whatever Your Excellency commands, I will obey without question."

Xiong Tingbi waved his hand, "No rush, no rush, General Huang, you can hear it first and then agree."

Huang Shi smiled bitterly to himself; it was probably about the "petition for redress"? He had read about this case in history books. Wang Huazhen's teacher was Ye Xianggao, the Grand Secretary known as the "Timely Rain" and the top-ranked scholar of the Donglin Academy. Sun Chengzong was Wang Huazhen's senior fellow student (Huang Shi never understood why Ye Xianggao and Sun Chengzong, both upright individuals, associated with Wang Huazhen). Because Wang Huazhen defected, the officials investigating Xiong Tingbi's case were determined to pin all the blame on Xiong Tingbi, refusing to properly record his testimony and openly declaring they would not submit his words to the Emperor. Therefore, Xiong Tingbi wrote a petition in prison, hoping to present it to the Emperor and at least have him read his defense. Unfortunately, historically, Xiong Tingbi had offended everyone in the court, and during his five years of imprisonment, no one was willing to submit it on his behalf.

Yesterday, when Huang Shi came in, he saw a small bag hanging around Xiong Tingbi's neck, thinking it might contain his petition, which had been Xiong Tingbi's spiritual sustenance in his final years. Did Xiong Tingbi know that Huang Shi had the authority to submit memorials to the emperor, and therefore wanted his help? Huang Shi said, "The ancients spoke of a teacher who can teach even a single word. I have been deeply grateful for your instruction throughout the night, and I should have treated you with the respect due to a disciple. However, the paths of literature and martial arts are different. Whatever your wishes may be, please tell me, and I will do my utmost to fulfill them."

Xiong Tingbi suddenly made a strange sound in his throat, but then coughed to cover it up and sat up straight again. Huang Shi almost burst into tears, secretly sighing: Truly a hero! Xiong Tingbi then said, "I am sentenced to beheading and public execution, my head to be displayed at the nine border regions, so it is certain that I will die without a burial place. I expect it will eventually reach Shanhaiguan in Liaodong. If General Huang does not mind the trouble, I would like to ask you to find an opportunity to petition the emperor to grant me a pardon for my head, so that I may be laid to rest."

After saying this, Xiong Tingbi observed Huang Shi intently, his face full of eager anticipation. Huang Shi naturally knew that the ancients held corpses in high regard, but given Xiong Tingbi's grave crimes, even with Huang Shi's current favor, he would never dare to conceal his body. Moreover, possessing Xiong Tingbi's remains would be a political declaration, and Huang Shi's actions would be tantamount to simultaneously provoking both the Donglin Party and the eunuch faction. Out of respect for Xiong Tingbi and unwilling to let a meritorious general die with his eyes wide open, Huang Shi pondered and said, "If Elder Xiong doesn't mind, I will petition the court to display Elder Xiong's head on Changsheng Island for a period of time. After the Jurchens are pacified, I will certainly do my utmost to seek the court's exoneration for Elder Xiong."

This meant that Huang Shi would first bury Xiong Tingbi's head on Changsheng Island, and when Huang Shi reported his achievements after pacifying Liaodong, he would include Xiong Tingbi's contributions during his tenure, at which point he might be granted permission to be buried in his hometown. Even if he couldn't return home, with Huang Shi's protection on Changsheng Island, Xiong Tingbi would at least have a secure place to rest.

Xiong Tingbi had asked Huang Shi to listen to his reply before answering because he knew the matter was of utmost importance, and he wouldn't be surprised if Huang Shi refused outright. However, Xiong Tingbi considered that Huang Shi seemed to possess a strong sense of righteousness and was the only one who might be able to preserve his body from being devoured by dogs, allowing his soul to find peace. He didn't want to lose this last chance, so he decided to take the risk.

After hearing Huang Shi's words, Xiong Tingbi took a deep breath, stood up solemnly, and bowed deeply to Huang Shi: "Thank you for your noble character, General Huang. I, Xiong, will repay you in my next life."

"You flatter me, Xiong Gong. I dare not accept such praise," Huang Shi said with a wry smile, but ultimately accepted the bow. Accepting such a deep bow was like receiving a deposit in a business transaction, thus reassuring Xiong Tingbi.

“I have already requested the court to exile Xiong Weng’s daughter to Changsheng Island. She can be buried there.”

Xiong Tingbi looked bewildered, so Huang Shi quickly explained his deal with Wei Zhongxian, omitting some details and only telling Xiong Tingbi the outcome of their discussion.

As Huang Shi explained, Xiong Tingbi’s beard twitched involuntarily. After Huang Shi finished speaking, Xiong Tingbi's prison uniform trembled, and his voice was so excited he could barely speak: "General Huang, since I was imprisoned, I have thought of my daughter every moment, but I dare not think, dare not think of how a weak woman like her can survive in this world."

He then bowed deeply again: "General Huang, please forgive my boldness, but I have another request."

"Please speak, Elder Xiong."

"I am guilty and dare not ask for a good family for my daughter. I only hope that you, General, can find her an honest and upright man so that she can live a life free from want. That would be enough for me." "

Rest assured, Elder Xiong."

"Thank you, General Huang!" Xiong Tingbi was now completely carefree: "Hehe, I regret not listening to you back then, failing to see through Sun Degong's wolfish ambitions."

To be honest, Huang Shi was also puzzled by this. Historically, Xiong Tingbi repeatedly warned that "Li Yongfang is absolutely untrustworthy," yet he hadn't been wary of Sun Degong, who had been responsible for communicating with Li Yongfang. This question could logically touch upon the spy hidden among Xiong Tingbi's ranks, but Huang Shi hesitated to speak. In his own account, Sun Degong had probed his intentions before the uprising, and upon discovering he had no intention of collaborating, he ruthlessly killed him.

If Huang Shi were to reveal Sun Degong's change in attitude to Xiong Tingbi, it would be tantamount to admitting that he too had long been a member of the conspirators. Huang Shi could only forcefully suppress his anxiety, hoping Xiong Tingbi would continue the conversation by explaining why he trusted Sun Degong. However, Xiong Tingbi seemed to have no such intention. He calmly gathered the manuscript on the table, seemingly intending to double-check Huang Shi's notes for errors.

Seeing that it was getting late, Huang Shi finally decided that he couldn't wait any longer. He called out softly, "Uncle Xiong."

"Hmm? Is there anything else you want to ask?"

"Uncle Xiong, please don't be offended," Huang Shi carefully chose his words, afraid of upsetting Xiong Tingbi, "I think that if you had come to Guangning in person when Wang Huazhen fled from Guangning, with your prestige, you would have been able to stabilize the morale of the army, and we wouldn't have lost all of Hexi."

"Sigh..." Xiong Tingbi stopped speaking as soon as Huang Shi began, listening quietly. After Huang Shi finished, he let out a long sigh, his eyes narrowed, and the wrinkles on his face not only returned but seemed to deepen and thicken. Finally, he nodded: "General Huang is right. I did indeed miscalculate at the time. Alas, I had my own selfish motives too."

Xiong Tingbi had also harbored the idea of seeing Wang Huazhen make a fool of himself. When the two met on the road, Wang Huazhen burst into tears, while Xiong Tingbi laughed heartily and mocked him again.

"Many people advised me to go to Guangning at the time. Although the government troops were in chaos, and Zu Dashou, who commanded the Iron Cavalry Battalion, abandoned me and fled to Juehua, I still had three thousand Guan Ning soldiers under my command. If I went to Guangning, with my prestige from three years of governing Liaodong, I would indeed have a chance to win back the hearts of the troops, repel the Jurchens, and defend Guangning." Xiong Tingbi was clearly immersed in his memories, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the table. "Hehe, the outcome was probably about fifty-fifty. At the time, I pondered repeatedly whether to seek stability and protect the Liaodong people as they retreated to Shanhaiguan, or to seek victory amidst defeat and hold Guangning... It was truly difficult to decide for a time."

Huang Shi listened intently, knowing that the crucial moment was approaching.

Sure enough, Xiong Tingbi continued, "But someone told me, 'If you win, Huazhen will be exonerated; if you lose, Huazhen will also be exonerated.' I know this is true," Xiong Tingbi chuckled twice, then turned to Huang Shi and said, "I really don't want to be a scapegoat, so I decided to retreat to Shanhaiguan. Heh heh, I never thought that even if I neither win nor lose, I still can't escape death."

Huang Shi felt his heart pounding in his chest. He asked in a deep voice, "Old Xiong, who is this person?"

Xiong Tingbi was about to answer when he suddenly noticed Huang Shi's serious expression and was startled. Looking closer, he saw that Huang Shi's hands were clenched into fists, and his arms were slightly bent in tension. He was even more surprised.

Huang Shi felt his mouth go dry. He swallowed hard and asked again, "Old Xiong, who exactly is this person?"

"He's just an insignificant person, General Huang, what's wrong with you?" Xiong Tingbi asked in surprise, Huang Shi's response puzzled him greatly.

"This person..." Huang Shi was about to say that this person was likely a spy for the Later Jin, but then changed his mind and said, "Old Xiong was misled by this person, I was just angry."

"Actually, you're not wrong," Xiong Tingbi smiled bitterly again, unconsciously touching the cloth bag hanging around his neck, "Actually, I'm not entirely wronged. If I had been more impartial, perhaps I would have gone to Guangning and fought Nurhaci to the death. Even if I lost, at least... at least it would be better than today's outcome. It's just... it's just that I was just too angry, too angry." Huang Shi

didn't care about Xiong Tingbi's lament. He could tell that Xiong Tingbi didn't want to continue, and seemed to still want to protect the "friend" who had given him the advice. Huang Shi guessed that Xiong Tingbi was afraid he would report him to the authorities and hold his "friend" accountable. Just as he was thinking of an excuse, the jailer's voice suddenly came from outside: "General Huang, please move aside."

Huang Shi impatiently called out, "What is it?" "

General Huang, you've been here too long. The eunuch who came with you has woken up after a nap. Please forgive us and don't make things difficult for us subordinates."

Xiong Tingbi gave a bitter laugh upon hearing this: "General Huang, please go back. I'm a little sleepy now. I'd like to take a nap before noon."

In Huang Shi's mind, this person, the one who helped Sun Degong gain Xiong Tingbi's trust, and the one who informed him beforehand that he was going to defect were probably the same person. As long as he said that the person was a spy for the Later Jin, Xiong Tingbi shouldn't have trouble understanding. Huang Shi hadn't said that the person might be a spy for the Later Jin mainly because he was afraid that Xiong Tingbi would feel bad and think that he had done something wrong to the country.

But time was of the essence. Huang Shi gave Xiong Tingbi another deep look, took a breath, and was about to voice his suspicions and ask for the third time who had persuaded him to retreat that day.

Xiong Tingbi, meanwhile, had already taken down the cloth bag around his neck and, in front of Huang Shi, pulled out a piece of paper. He quickly tore the petition for redress to shreds. This action stunned Huang Shi. He remembered reading in a book:

—Even on his deathbed, Xiong Tingbi still wrote a petition. The supervising official arrogantly said, "I've never heard of a condemned prisoner being able to write to the emperor."

—Xiong Tingbi immediately retorted, "Wasn't that Zhao Gao who said that?" The supervising official was speechless… and of course, he wouldn't write a petition on his behalf.

Xiong Tingbi was so unreasonable, so argumentative, so stubborn—how could he have destroyed the petition for redress that had been with him for five years?

Xiong Tingbi naturally had no idea what Huang Shi was thinking, nor did he know that Huang Shi could guess what he had just torn up. He looked up and saw Huang Shi staring blankly at him. Xiong Tingbi slowly took off his shoes and sat cross-legged on the bed, closing his eyes as he did so. "Throughout my life, I have been competitive and have offended countless people. This piece of paper is filled with the grievances and resentments accumulated over the years. Today, I have entrusted my daughter to General Huang's care, and I have no more worries. Naturally, I have no need for this piece of paper."

Xiong Tingbi's tone grew increasingly peaceful and serene, as if his troubles and resentments had been expelled from his body. "Although I lost my life for ordering the general retreat from Guangning, that retreat order did allow millions of Liaodong people to return to the interior, didn't it? Besides, the outcome of the battle was originally a 50/50 chance. I saved countless lives and did no great harm to the country. I can go to see the Emperor Xian with a clear conscience."

Huang Shi looked at Xiong Tingbi, who had already freed himself from self-pity, bitterness, and resentment, and finally stood up without saying a word. He carefully put away the insights that Xiong Tingbi had imparted to him. Although Huang Shi's tactics and strategies had their unique aspects, and in some areas even possessed advantages that Xiong Tingbi could hardly imagine, the words written on these sheets of paper embodied the culmination of Xiong Tingbi's lifelong military career, making them extremely valuable.

When the mysterious figure beside Xiong Tingbi advised him to commit a grave mistake, Zu Dashou had already deserted to Juehua, indicating that the spy was not Zu Dashou. Moreover, Xiong Tingbi had just said it was a minor figure; I must pay close attention to those who once worked under Xiong Jinglue. With the current Changsheng Army, if we develop and strengthen it for a few more years, the Jurchens will be powerless.

"Old Xiong, may you rest in peace." Huang Shi looked at the old man before him, unwilling to disturb Xiong Tingbi's peaceful final moments. Although he had never managed to get the spy's real name, it was merely a minor figure planted by the Later Jin. Even when I was a centurion under Sun Degong, he couldn't kill me; now, even if I didn't uncover this spy, what could he do to me, Huang Shi?

"Hmm." Xiong Tingbi, who was already resting with his eyes closed, nodded slightly to indicate that he had heard.

Huang Shi said no more and walked towards the door. Lifting the curtain, he saw the Imperial Guard still waiting at the door, and the young eunuch who had accompanied him to the prison standing to one side, his face still sleepy. After Huang Shi came out, the Imperial Guard unlocked the large lock on the cell without a word. Just as Huang Shi stepped out, he suddenly heard a loud shout from behind: "General Huang, wait!"

Huang Shi turned around and saw Xiong Tingbi, barefoot, jumping off the bed and rushing to Huang Shi's side. Through the cell door, he solemnly said, "General Huang said he would offer the slave chieftain's heart and liver as a sacrifice to this old man. This is what General Huang promised me, isn't it?"

...

On the second day of the eleventh month of the fifth year of the Tianqi reign,

Xiong Tingbi, the former Liaodong military commissioner, was executed for the serious crime of abandoning three thousand li of land, and his head was sent to the nine border regions... On

the sixteenth day of the eleventh month of the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, at Shanhaiguan, in the Liaodong Military Command.

Early this morning, General Yang Qi of Shanhaiguan led more than a dozen military officers to wait outside the gate of the military commander Gao Di. As soon as Gao Di arrived, Yang Qi jumped out and asked, "Lord Gao, have you heard about Xiong Tingbi's matter?"

Gao Di, his face pale, nodded slightly, and all the Guan Ning generals knelt down in unison, crying out, "Lord Gao, even if you disregard the lives of our Guan Ning army, you must think of yourself! This retreat is inevitable!"

Gao

Di, hearing this, broke out in a cold sweat. He waved his hands frantically, "General Yang, don't harm me! If I order a retreat today, tomorrow I'll be the one to be beheaded in the nine border regions!"

Yang Qi, his eyes blurry with tears, raised his head and shouted, "Lord Gao, you only know one side of the story! Xiong Tingbi wasn't convicted for ordering the retreat..."

Hearing this, Gao Di thought to himself, "How could I not know that? Do I need you, Yang Qi, to teach me? Xiong Tingbi's foul mouth and the connections between the court officials..." "I know much more than you do."

At this moment, Yang Qi shouted hoarsely, "...That Xiong Tingbi was clearly punished because he ordered the retreat too late, Lord Gao!"

This statement startled Gao Di: "What do you mean?"

Seeing that Gao Di was listening carefully, Yang Qi perked up: "Lord Gao, you are wise. Since Xiong Tingbi was able to cover the Liaodong civilians and fleeing soldiers' escape south, he must have had the opportunity to turn back and fight. It was precisely because Xiong Tingbi was afraid of the enemy like a tiger that he fled in such a sorry state, and that's why the court was furious."

After waving away the other Guan Ning generals, Gao Di first called Yang Qi up from the ground, then lowered his voice and asked, "In your opinion, General Yang, if Xiong Tingbi hadn't covered the million Liaodong civilians and fleeing soldiers, but instead had fled back to Shanhaiguan alone, wouldn't that have been cowardly?"

"Exactly! Lord Gao, you are wise. If Xiong Tingbi hadn't even stepped outside Shanhaiguan, and hadn't gone to Guangning Youtun to meet Wang Huazhen, the defeat at Guangning wouldn't have been his fault." At this point, Yang Qi's eyes flashed, his hair and beard bristled, and he slammed his right fist onto his left palm. "Lord Gao, please see. If we had retreated before the Jurchens arrived, it wouldn't have been considered cowardly retreat; but if we waited until the Jurchens arrived before retreating, it would have been considered desertion, and we would have been beheaded."

Gao Di stared in disbelief for a moment, then remembered Mao Wenlong's report: "But this..." "I've only heard that the Jurchens have brought 40,000 troops this time, but the Guan Ning Army clearly has eight brigades and forty field battalions, totaling 115,000 soldiers. There are also over 40,000 guards in the various fortresses, and more than 200,000 men from the military households under the jurisdiction of Liaozhen who can serve as auxiliary troops. Why can't we fight them?"

Yang Qi replied with a wry smile, "Lord Gao, you are wise. Let alone those military households, of the entire Guan Ning cavalry of 160,000, not one in a hundred has ever seen battle, and not one in a thousand has ever actually fought. And I've heard that the Jurchens are unparalleled in horsemanship and archery; they can all shoot arrows while standing on horseback!"

"Shoot arrows while standing on horseback?" Gao Di was surprised again. This scholar couldn't even ride a horse; standing on horseback was already unbelievable enough, but to add shooting arrows to that was even more absurd.

“Yes, Lord Gao. The Jurchens shoot arrows from horseback to get a greater range; they’re that skilled.” Yang Qi clicked his tongue in amazement, then spread his hands with a mournful face: “I’ve heard that the Jurchens can shoot arrows with both hands from horseback, each arrow reaching a hundred paces and hitting vital points with every shot, even farther than our muskets. This battle is truly impossible to fight.” Seeing Gao Di

’s stunned expression, Yang Qi leaned closer and whispered, “Lord Gao, you are a master strategist, so naturally you must know your enemy. But to avoid affecting morale, I’ve kept all this information a secret. I was afraid the soldiers would lose their fighting spirit if they knew.”

“Well done, well done.” Gao Di nodded repeatedly in praise. He thought about it carefully and realized that this battle was indeed difficult. However, he still had some doubts: "How did Mao Shuai's men in Dongjiang fight? Huang Shi and Chen Jisheng each reported several thousand heads, not to mention Mao Yongshi, Mao Youjie and others, who also reported heads. Lord Yuan of Ningyuan Military Circuit can be said to have verified them all."

"I don't know how others fought, but General Huang is a warrior of unparalleled bravery. It's said he can wield an eighteen-foot spear, and each time he draws his bow, he draws two ten-stone bows at the same time. By the way, General Huang also has a great general named He Dingyuan. Although he's a bit inferior to General Huang, he can still wield a sixteen-foot spear." While praising Huang Shi, Yang Qi raised his right thumb, and when he mentioned He Dingyuan, he raised his left thumb high as well: "He Dingyuan is also a master of throwing knives. Within two hundred paces, he can decapitate a person with a throwing knife as easily as taking something out of a bag."

This time, the scholar was completely dumbfounded, muttering to himself, "Two hundred paces, that's about a mile away, right? I've studied for ten years, and my eyesight isn't very good. I can't even see a person a mile away, let alone throw a throwing knife."

"Yes, yes, even I am ashamed of my own inferiority." After echoing a few words, Yang Qi continued, spitting as he spoke: "It is said that Changsheng Island has several generals, such as Zhao Manxiong, Jin Qiude, and Yang Zhiyuan, who can kill ten thousand troops and destroy strong formations as easily as turning their palms over and looking at the lines on their palms."

When he mentioned "turning his palms over and looking at the lines on his palms," General Yang actually turned his left palm over, stretched out a finger of his right hand and started gesturing on it, shaking his head and leaning close to his palm to examine the lines.

General Gao examined General Yang's palm with him, then asked thoughtfully, "Even a tiny place like Changsheng Island has so many fierce generals. Does my Liaodong region have no heroes at all?"

"No, no," Yang Qi shook his head vigorously, his face full of sorrow, and said to Gao, "If you don't believe me, you can go and see for yourself. In my Guan Ning army, there are very few who can wield a seven-foot spear and draw a five-stone bow. Hmm, think of General Huang, who had nearly a thousand iron cavalry in the Battle of Guangning five years ago. In these five years, it is said that his elite retainers number in the thousands..."

"Several thousands...?" This number startled Gao again.

Yang Qi sighed deeply again, clapping his hands and exclaiming, "Yes! Lord Gao, you are wise. General Huang has several thousand seasoned veterans under his command, but the entire Guan Ning Army has less than a thousand soldiers who have seen battle. Lord Gao, it's not that I'm not trying my best, it's just that this battle is unwinnable!"

Gao Di agreed, but still hesitated, "But those nearly one hundred fortresses outside the pass were built over five years at the cost of more than seven million taels of silver from the state. To abandon them all at once..."

"Those fortresses were built by Minister Sun, not by you, Lord Gao, right?" Yang Qi observed every subtle change in Gao Di's expression, "If those fortresses cannot hold off the Jurchens, then it is Minister Sun who wasted state resources. What does it have to do with you, Lord Gao?"

“That’s true.” Gao Di’s mind was already racing. He stroked his long beard for a moment, then asked with some worry, “Back then, Xiong Tingbi ordered the burning of all fortresses, warehouses, and supplies, and the court charged him with ‘burning all the treasuries.’ This…”

Hearing this, Yang Qi knew that Gao Di was already tempted. He laughed loudly, “Lord Gao, what’s so difficult about that? This time we’re only withdrawing troops from outside the pass. We’re not allowed to burn any fortresses or warehouses. As for the supplies, let the men carry them all back. Wouldn’t that solve everything?”

Gao Di pondered for a while, as if there was still a very serious problem: “What if the Jurchens attack Shanhaiguan?”

“Lord Gao, you are wise,” Yang Qi said, clearly confident. He stamped his foot, “Our Shanhaiguan is backed by mountains on the left and the sea on the right. It’s the most formidable pass in the world. How could it be so easy to take it?”

These past few days, the generals of the Guan Ning Army had already discussed it privately. At most, Gao Di would die if they retreated, but if they didn’t retreat, everyone might have to die with him. So they had long ago planned to fool Gao Di, this scholar, no matter what.

Everyone knew that the Later Jin only had two hundred Niru (military units), and even if Nurhaci came with his entire army, he would only have twenty thousand armored soldiers. Besides, there was Mao Wenlong from Dongjiang, so the Later Jin would have to leave some men to guard their homeland. Yang Qi thought that if they deployed 160,000 troops at Shanhaiguan, and then fought ten against one enemy, with so many cannons and muskets, they could definitely hold Shanhaiguan.

It sounded very reasonable, and Gao Di also felt that it was better to concentrate troops than to disperse them. He nodded: "However, we still need to make more preparations and strive for a foolproof plan."

“We can let all the military households pass through, and then fill Shanhaiguan Pass with cannons and muskets. The Jurchens might retreat when they see our strong defenses. Even if they dare to attack, hmph…” Yang Qi’s eyes flashed with a cold light, and his face revealed a fierce expression: “We’ll just bombard them with these cannons and muskets like water. Are the Jurchens made of steel or iron?”

In late November of the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, the newly appointed Liaodong military commissioner, Gao Di, citing the recent defeat at Yaozhou and the low morale of the government troops, ordered the voluntary abandonment of the two-hundred-mile Liaoxi Corridor outside the pass, and simultaneously reported his reasons to the court. At this time, the main force of the Later Jin was still gathering in Liaoyang, and the enemy had not yet stepped out of Hedong.

Since Sun Chengzong took charge of Liaodong, he first built more than fifty fortresses from Shanhaiguan to Ningyuan, the largest of which, Ningyuan Fortress, took nearly three years to complete, finally being finished at the end of the third year of the Tianqi reign. After this, Sun Chengzong began constructing a large fortress complex centered on Ningyuan. The outermost fortresses of Ningyuan Youtun were now over 150 li away.

By the fifth year of the Tianqi reign, Sun Chengzong considered the fortresses nearly complete and began to consider offensive operations. Encouraged by Huangshi's recapture of Fuzhou, Sun Chengzong sought an opportunity to cross the Liao River and recapture Yaozhou and Niangniang Palace, thereby connecting the defense zones of the Guan Ning Army and the Dongjiang Army into one contiguous area. (At this time, Zhang Pan, the general of the Dongjiang Army, had just recaptured Lushun and Jinzhouwei, and ordered troops to be stationed on Changsheng Island, Tu'er Island, and Lianyun Island. He also launched a preemptive attack on Yaozhou at the end of August, attempting to establish contact with the Liaoxi Army. After the Dongjiang Army's attack was thwarted, Sun Chengzong also became interested in Yaozhou. Due to the stimulus given to Sun Chengzong by Huang Shi in this timeline, his determination was naturally greater than in the original history.)

Because Sun Chengzong adopted an offensive posture, apart from the three battalions directly under the Liaodong Military Command and the troops deployed between Shanhaiguan and Ningyuan, the remaining six brigades of the Guan Ning Army were all located between Ningyuan and Jinzhou. In this battle of Yaozhou, although the defeat of one brigade by one banner of the Zhenglan Banner was more palatable than in Huang Shi's previous life, the losses were far more severe. The Ningyuan brigade not only lost more than half its strength, but Ma Shilong was also stripped of most of his positions and sent back to Shanhaiguan to sit on the sidelines.

Thanks to the Ming Dynasty's strong recovery capabilities and massive annual investment of millions of taels of silver, the Ningyuan Central Army had recovered some strength, but the heavy losses suffered by the Central Army still greatly shocked the officers and generals of the Guan-Ning Army. The sense of shock that now permeated the Guan-Ning Army was no less than in the original historical records.

In this atmosphere of defeatism, Gao Di's order to withdraw troops had barely reached Ningyuan when the three Ming armies under Shanhaiguan were immediately ordered to march south. The fifteen battalions of Guan-Ning cavalry abandoned everything they could, and none of the numerous warehouses storing large quantities of grain and weapons were burned. The Guan-Ning Army simply sealed off the warehouses and hurriedly left. According to the statistics of the Ministry of War of the Ming Dynasty, the supplies abandoned by the Guan-Ning cavalry north of Ningyuan included 150,000 shi of rice and beans, one million jin of hay, more than 80,000 bolts of cotton cloth, more than 1.2 million taels of silver, more than 30,000 sets of armor, more than 1,000 cannons, and countless muskets, bows and arrows, swords and shields.

The hasty retreat of the Guan Ning cavalry greatly alarmed the local military households, who soon received retreat orders from their respective military commanders. The military households in Liaoxi, carrying the old and young, left their garrisons, leaving behind intact houses and villages. Millions of refugees formed a massive southward migration, and the official road from Jinzhou to Shanhaiguan was instantly teeming with them, a mix of soldiers carrying bundles and stragglers from the Guan Ning cavalry. As recorded in history, the roads were filled with the sounds of weeping, and soldiers and officials lay dead from cold and hunger everywhere…

December 9th, 5th year of the Tianqi reign, Beijing.

Bored, Huang Shi and Jin Qiude went out to a tavern to drink tea and listen to music. Ever since Huang Shi's last visit to the palace to see Wei Zhongxian, the Tianqi Emperor seemed unhappy, and thus had delayed summoning Huang Shi. By the end of last month, the Liaoxi front was in constant turmoil, and the emperor had no time for rewarding merits or whitewashing the situation.

Because Shanhaiguan could not accommodate over a million soldiers and civilians, Gao Di allowed ordinary military households to enter the pass, leaving only the various field battalions of the Guan Ning Army to strengthen the defenses of Shanhaiguan. Earlier this month, refugees from Liaoxi began rushing into the capital region, revealing the dire situation in Liaoxi to the people of Beijing. Now, Beijing is in a state of panic, with wealthy merchants and families fleeing to Shandong for refuge.

Three days ago, the Ming court ordered a complete state of emergency in the capital region, attempting to provide some reassurance to the people, but this only caused further shock in the capital. Countless Beijing residents attempted to flee south to Shandong, while large numbers of people from the surrounding area tried to escape into the city for protection. However, the soldiers at the city gates strictly checked all passersby according to the martial law order.

Huang Shi, Jin Qiude, and several guards from Changsheng Island sat in a deserted tavern, drinking and observing the streets, no longer bustling with activity, while the shouts and curses from the city gates lingered in their ears.

"Sir, the Guan Ning Army's retreat has turned into this mess, and they haven't even encountered the enemy yet!" Jin Qiude, the chief of staff of Changsheng Island, had been extremely agitated these past few days. He believed that even a retreat in front of the enemy shouldn't be this chaotic. In Jin Qiude's words, this wasn't a retreat, it was a complete collapse.

Huang Shi didn't respond or offer any comment. The restaurant where he and Jin Qiude were eating was quite famous in Beijing; in the past, even booking a table several days in advance wouldn't guarantee a reservation. Now, however, it was completely empty, less than 30% full. Yesterday, Huang Shi had seen a notice posted at the restaurant announcing a 50% discount on drinks and dishes starting today. To kill time, he brought his companions to eat something cheap.

The guards were now eating heartily and drinking quite a bit. Huang Shi never put on airs, so the officers and soldiers of Changsheng Island were always quite casual in private. They readily chimed in when Jin Qiude started the conversation. The internal guards of Changsheng Island were also used by Huang Shi as military police. They had all received basic traffic management training and were quick to condemn the lack of officials in charge of traffic control in Liaoxi. They then eagerly voiced their opinions to Huang Shi, as if afraid their superior wouldn't know they had ideas and insights.

Rumors were circulating in the streets of Beijing that the Later Jin had a 100,000-strong army marching south, but the Dongjiang Army and the Later Jin had been fighting for several years. Jin Qiude dismissed these rumors with disdain: "Liaozhen has forty battalions, 120,000 field troops, seventy fortresses, and over 40,000 city defense troops. Even if they dare not engage in field battles, can't they defend the city? Gao Jinglue…"

Speaking of a high-ranking official, Jin Qiude carefully lowered his voice: "He's really just a scholar." "

What scholar? He's just a good-for-nothing."

Huang Shi and Jin Qiude turned around in surprise. A businessman-looking man at a nearby table was looking in their direction. This fellow clearly had extremely sharp ears. He glared at Huang Shi and his gang a few times, then shouted again at the top of his lungs, "Gao, the Liaodong military commissioner, is nothing but a good-for-nothing!"

The waiter, who was serving the man dishes, also loudly echoed, "That's right, that's right! Ninth Master is right, that Gao military commissioner is a complete waste!"

The tavern erupted in chaos. In recent years, to raise funds for the military, the Ming court had significantly increased taxes. Wei Zhongxian even stipulated that every pig and every bolt of cloth transported into Beijing would be subject to taxation. Now, news from western Liaoning was rampant, businesses were struggling, and ordinary residents were facing even greater hardship; naturally, everyone was seething with hatred.

The merchant, known as Ninth Master, shouted, "Last month, I bought a thousand bolts of silk, and it cost me five hundred taels of silver just to enter the city gate! Now, in broad daylight, I'm forced to close my shop and eat idle wine here... Over the years, I've contributed at least eight or ten thousand taels of silver to the imperial court's budget—that's all pure silver! I have no other desires but to do business properly, is that too much to ask?"

The others immediately echoed his sentiments, and this outburst made the patrons in the restaurant feel more intimate. From afar, someone called out, "Yesterday I went to listen to a storyteller, and he told the story of General Huang..."

The group changed the subject, discussing the legendary tales of Huang Shi, while the people at the Changsheng Island table listened silently.

A man at the next table glanced at Huang Shi's group and suddenly spoke up, "Speaking of this General Huang, I heard he's still in the capital! Judging from your accents, you seem to be from Liaodong; you're probably not officials in the Beijing garrison or the Imperial Guard, are you?"

(Chapter 39, "Sweeping Through a Thousand Armies Like a Rolling Mat," Storytelling)

Since arriving in Beijing, Huang Shi has maintained a low profile. Having abandoned his ambition to seize power, he naturally no longer needs to vie for the people's support. Today, everyone from Changsheng Island is dressed in ordinary military uniforms, including Huang Shi. Before Huang Shi could give any instructions, one of the guards announced loudly, "Greetings, sir. We are soldiers under General Zhang Pan, Left Assistant of Dongjiang Town, here on official business in the capital."

The man, hearing they weren't Huang Shi's men, was somewhat disappointed, but outwardly remained polite: "So it was my rudeness. Please forgive me, gentlemen."

This guest turned to the others and said, "His Majesty has summoned Huang Gongbao to the capital for an audience some time now, but we haven't heard of him leaving. He must still be here."

"Indeed," another customer in the distance nodded in agreement, adding loudly, "According to our dynasty's rules, when a border general is summoned to the capital for an audience, the Great Ming Gate is opened and drums are beaten to see him off. Huang Gongbao should also kowtow three times to the palace gates to express his gratitude before leaving. We haven't heard of this happening recently, so he must still be here."

Another voice came from somewhere: "With Huang Gongbao's merits, will His Majesty see him off at the palace gates? Then we could also have a chance to admire His Majesty's countenance."

"I don't know,"

the patrons chimed in, each offering their own opinions. The restaurant owner couldn't resist running out from the kitchen, raising his voice to join the discussion. The once quiet restaurant was now bustling with noise. Several customers, accompanied by women, also joined in the quiet chatter.

The man the bartender had called Ninth Master was now furiously cursing the Guan Ning Army again, his voice growing louder with each outburst. His business had failed, and he was seething with anger: "They took so much silver and didn't even fight properly! When the Emperor is enraged, hmph, they'll all starve!"

"Isn't that right? Ninth Master is right," the owner said, his face contorted with rage. He had already decided to close for a while. The recent price cuts to clear out inventory had been painful for him, so he immediately chimed in when he heard someone cursing Gao Di. The hotel owner, who hadn't been sleeping or eating well these past few days, had lost a significant amount of weight, his once chubby belly now smaller. "

Martial law is in effect again," he lamented. "This business is unsustainable; we'll have to close down sooner or later." A customer at the next table, who had been quite interested in the group from Changsheng Island, slammed his hand on the table when the guards introduced themselves as Zhang Pan's men. Pointing at Jin Qiude, he shouted, "Isn't Huang Gongbao the Deputy Commander of the Left Wing of Dongjiang? Then aren't you all Huang Gongbao's men?"

This remark drew the attention of everyone in the restaurant to Huang Shi's table. Jin Qiude glanced at Huang Shi, noticing his superior's downcast head as he picked up food, his face expressionless. Jin Qiude clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and addressed the guests, "Greetings, everyone. We… well, General Zhang is under Commander Huang's command, so naturally we are also under Commander Huang's command…"

Though his words were mumbled, the restaurant suddenly became even more lively. The crowd suddenly stood up and crowded around Huang Shi's table, bombarding them with questions about his appearance: was he round-faced, with eyes like copper bells, and incredibly strong? Some even clamored that Huang Shi was still in Beijing, asking if they had a chance to meet him, or where he lived.

Even the women at the tables behind them secretly glanced over, and one girl even sat up straight, staring at Huang Shi and his group. Noticing his bodyguards and Jin Qiude's unusually excited smiles, Huang Shi smiled and said to those around him, "Gentlemen, we are just people here in Beijing on official business. Our positions are lowly, and we have never had the opportunity to meet Commander Huang. So we cannot describe what he looks like; please forgive us."

Those around him, unable to get any information, were somewhat disappointed. A few sighed and returned to their seats, while the others clearly lost interest. They said a few more words, then walked away listlessly, no longer bothering the people from Changsheng Island.

After they dispersed, Huang Shi gestured for a few of his men to come closer. The people of Changsheng Island, having lost their chance to show off, became somewhat listless. Huang Shi lowered his voice and whispered to them, "These people have nothing to do with us. Asking about them is just something to gossip about with our friends back home. Once they get involved, we won't be able to do anything. We're going to the capital to handle our own business; we absolutely mustn't cause trouble. Let them fuss; we'll just eat our own food."

"Sir, we're idle all day anyway, and there's nothing much to do," one of the guards muttered discontentedly. He was so uncomfortable with all his boasting and empty words stuck in his chest that he was squirming in his chair, his lips pouting so much they could hang an oil bottle from them. His voice rose slightly as he said, "We could tell them about Liaodong, and they could treat us to a drink, that would be good too."

"Useless thing," Huang Shi chuckled and scolded again. Seeing the man's dejected expression, he understood that the guard was unhappy because he hadn't gotten his chance to boast. Huang Shi pushed the wine jug in front of him: "Drink as much as you want, I'll treat you to your fill today."

"What do you want to say?"

A loud shout suddenly came from behind. It was Ninth Master with rabbit ears again. His eyes were full of reproach and dissatisfaction as he looked at Huang Shi. Ninth Master turned around and called to the waiter in the shop: "Waiter, put the bill for those soldiers' table on my tab." "

Alright."

After instructing the waiter, Ninth Master turned back and gave Huang Shi a smug smile, a smile that Huang Shi often saw on small-time rich people: "I am the ninth son, known as Ninth Master. What is this soldier's name?"

Instantly, all eyes in the wine shop returned to Huang Shi and his group. Huang Shi reluctantly stood up and cupped his hands to Ninth Master, saying: "My surname is Zhang, I am the commander of the Dongjiang garrison."

"Commander Zhang, tell us some stories." Ninth Master's suggestion was immediately met with a roar of approval, and the air was filled with the voices of people clamoring for more. The Ninth Master, seizing the opportunity, exclaimed, "General Zhang, please tell us the story! We'll forgo the wine and drinks, and afterwards, I'll offer you a gift." Upon hearing

this, Huang Shi's men's expressions changed drastically. Huang Shi was now a high-ranking official of the second rank, while the so-called Ninth Master was merely a commoner, yet he was shouting and behaving arrogantly towards Huang Shi, treating him like a storyteller. If Huang Shi hadn't strictly forbidden them from revealing their identities, one of the guards would likely have shouted, "You scoundrel, how rude!"

Although they remained silent, anger flared on their faces. Huang Shi, however, remained calm, bowing respectfully to the crowd: "Gentlemen, five years ago I served in the Lushun Army. I know you want to hear the story of Huang Gongbao, but I truly do not know it. If…"

Before Huang Shi could finish, a clasp of voices erupted below.

"Sir, just tell us whatever you want."

"That's right. We'll listen to whatever you say, sir."

"Exactly, we love to hear whatever you say, sir."

Huang Shi smiled slightly, gently patted Jin Qiude's shoulder, then strode forward a few steps, stopping in a spacious area, facing the room full of people, and said, "I will now tell you about two generals who sacrificed their lives for the country. They were both surnamed Zhang, but one was Zhang with the surname Zhang, and the other was Zhang with the surname Zhang..."

The shop owner felt that his opportunity had come. With a secret wink, two waiters quickly ran to the street, doing their best to advertise for Huang Shi, the storyteller, and to greet customers. The Ninth Master was still shouting, "Bring tea, bring tea quickly, and bring me a plate of melon seeds."

...

...The Governor of Lushun, General Zhang Pan, died at the hands of this group of villains, and Lushun fell. Fortunately, a few brave brothers from the Gangfeng Battalion broke through the encirclement, found a boat, and notified the Ming army in Liaonan. "It was these brothers who saved Liaonan." Huang Shi gently ended his first story, and by then everyone in the restaurant had fallen silent. Huang Shi waved to a soldier from the Inner Guard, one of the men who had come to Changsheng Island by boat to seek help years ago. After the Battle of Nanguan, this man had passed the examination and training and entered the Inner Guard.

Huang Shi patted the guard on the shoulder and introduced him to everyone, saying, "This brother, he's the one who broke through the encirclement and rushed to Changsheng Island to warn Huang Gongbao."

Huang Shi's story had reminded the guard of the night Zhang Pan was captured and the Lushun army routed. He seemed to see the horrific scene of Lushun engulfed in flames again, and he seemed to hear the dying groans of countless fallen soldiers. The guard's eyes were bloodshot, and his hands trembled uncontrollably. He choked out a cry to Huang Shi, "My lord."

Then the guard turned and shouted at the top of his lungs into the tavern, "General Zhang never retreated on the battlefield! We, the Lushun Dongjiang army, surrounded by his banner, never retreated a single step, never... ah... ah..." Before he could finish, the soldier was already sobbing uncontrollably.

The people in the tavern held their breath, watching this emotionally charged, weeping soldier. The atmosphere of watching the spectacle and listening to the story had vanished completely. The Ninth Master stood there, mouth agape, stunned for a long time. Many in the audience felt their eyes welling up, and several women were already in tears, pulling out handkerchiefs to cover their faces.

Huang Shi helped the soldier back to his seat, then slowly walked back to his own spot. Now, the area opposite him was packed with people; the guests from downstairs had all come up, and people from the street had also poured in to listen.

Huang Shi said, “Gentlemen, what follows is the Battle of Nanguan, where General Gu Zhang died in battle. I was there at the time…”

To rescue their brothers besieged at Nanguan, several thousand Ming soldiers resolutely marched from Jinzhou. To ensure they had a good meal, the women of the city slaughtered piglets that hadn't yet grown to maturity and donated the rice and flour they had saved for the New Year. Then they joined forces with the garrison at Nanguan. Tens of thousands of soldiers were overjoyed and prepared to embark on their journey home. However, the enemy was prepared and did not intend to let them off so easily. The Ming army was in a situation where defeat meant total annihilation...

Huang Shi recounted the whole story in detail, and the crowd gathered in front of him grew larger and larger, almost crowding around him. Each of these people had an expression of rapture on their face, their expressions changing from tragic heroism to joy and relaxation, and then to tension and indignation as the story unfolded.

The Vanguard Battalion used their flesh and blood to block the enemy's attack, buying time for the Firefighting Battalion. The Ming army finally broke through the enemy's central battle line before the enemy could break through their flanks...

"At that time, General Gu Zhang lay right in front of me, with more than thirty arrows sticking out of his body. Yes, more than thirty. When he fell, he was no longer bleeding. Because General Gu Zhang would never fall until he had shed his last drop of blood." As he spoke, Huang Shi bent slightly and gestured towards the ground. His expression was solemn and dignified as he spoke in the most respectful tone: "General Zhang fulfilled his promise to Huang Gongbao: 'As long as I, Zhang Feimao, am here, the left wing will be as secure as Mount Tai.' General Zhang launched a counterattack he knew would be certain death, and because of his heroic sacrifice—our 14,000 soldiers were saved, we won the Battle of Nanguan, and the Jurchens were routed and scattered in all directions."

"Our Dongjiang Army—majestic!" After Huang Shi finished speaking, he bowed slightly to the crowd and strode back to his table. Jin Qiude and several guards looked at him solemnly and began to applaud in unison—just like they had on Changsheng Island.

The audience was already packed tightly, and the upper floor was a sea of heads. But after Huang Shi finished speaking, the entire crowd remained silent, except for the solemn clapping of a few people from Changsheng Island, and occasionally the babbling of a child. But even this slight noise was immediately silenced by their parents, and the entire audience seemed bewitched. They were collectively immersed in the memory of the story.

"Magnificent, magnificent," the silk merchant, Ninth Master, murmured, tears welling in his eyes. He mechanically poured the empty teacup to his lips, then held it motionless to his chest. "Magnificent, magnificent..."

The innkeeper, forgetting his business and neglecting his guests, let large tears stream down his face. He had been leaning against the doorframe, frantically scratching at the lacquer on the dining table with his fingernails, leaving deep white marks.

"Truly epic," a scholar-like man finally awoke from his reverie. He stroked the folding fan in his hand repeatedly, and after a long while, he sighed again: "I really wish I could sprout wings and fly to Liaodong, to serve Huang Gongbao's army, to feast on the flesh of the barbarians when hungry, and to drink their blood when thirsty."

A buzzing sound gradually rose, and people began to whisper among themselves again. After a while, a young man mustered his courage and whispered, "Sir, what you're saying is quite different from what the storyteller said."

Huang Shi and several people from Changsheng Island put down their wine cups and looked up at the storyteller. All eyes around him suddenly fell on him. The young man shrank back sharply, muttering as he looked down, "I've heard that Huang Gongbao's martial arts are unparalleled; he won all the battles by himself, and Mao Wenlong only benefited from his influence. In the Battle of Lushun, General Zhang Pan only succeeded because of someone else, and as for that Fat Cat Zhang, I've never even heard of him." *

Crack!*

Before Huang Shi could speak, a teacup flashed like lightning, smashing heavily onto the unfortunate man's hat before shattering on the floor.

Ninth Master, who had been pondering with an empty teacup held to his chest, was interrupted by the young man's words. Enraged, Ninth Master hurled the teacup and roared, "You inhuman bastard! Both General Zhangs have died for their country! What do you mean by 'achieving success through others'? What do you mean by 'unheard of'? You beast, get out of here!"

"Ninth Master, wait!"

Seeing Huang Shi stand up, Ninth Master stopped his tirade, and everyone turned to look.

Huang Shi glanced around at the crowd upstairs; they all held their breath, watching his lips intently, afraid of missing a single syllable. Huang Shi cleared his throat: "My General Mao of Dongjiang, with two hundred soldiers, sailed three thousand miles across the sea to Liaodong, without spending a single grain or ration from the imperial court, and in just a few years, he controlled the entire Dongjiang region. He pacified five hundred thousand refugees and recovered over a thousand miles of land. It was General Huang who benefited from General Mao's achievements

, not the other way around. General Zhang Pan, on the other hand, personally led fifty soldiers to land, captured Lushun and Jinzhou, and with only a corner of southern Liaodong, fearlessly confronted the Jurchen army. He was not someone who achieved success through others." Everyone listened attentively, nodding repeatedly.

"As for the late General Zhang Feimao," Huang Shi gave a bitter smile, his expression filled with unspeakable bitterness and regret, "the soldiers of Dongjiang, isolated thousands of miles overseas, have lost countless lives in the past five years. These who sacrificed their lives for their country without being known are not just General Zhang."

...

Huang Shi disliked drinking, so his men carried round after round of toasts. Jin Qiude was a heavy drinker. Even when the guards were all thoroughly drunk, the chief of staff of Changsheng Island was still able to protect his superior with ease.

Ninth Master once again pushed his way in, shouting. Ever since Huang Shi had firmly refused his gift, Ninth Master had launched wave after wave of toasts, and kept adding dishes to Huang Shi's table. The fat restaurant owner had already gone to the kitchen, yelling that he wanted to pick up a cleaver again and let the Liaodong soldiers taste his cooking.

"Sir, you're really here!" A soldier, covered in sweat, squeezed his way to Huang Shi's side; it turned out to be the guard he had left behind at the post station. Before Huang Shi could even ask a question, the imperial guard shouted at the top of his lungs, "My master is here!"

With a gong blare, a eunuch rushed from the parting crowd towards Huang Shi, his face filled with anxiety: "General Huang, I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Then, the eunuch's face hardened: "His Majesty's decree! Huang Shi, receive the imperial order!"

Huang

Shi knelt on the ground, and the eunuch eagerly began to read the decree. The Tianqi Emperor's edict was a few concise sentences in plain language—it seemed the Emperor was in a great hurry, ordering Huang Shi to immediately follow the messenger to the palace for an audience.

"Your Majesty, I obey." Huang Shi kowtowed, then stood up, noticing everyone in the restaurant staring at him, their eyes wide. Even the children were too intimidated by the atmosphere to breathe. The eunuch, whether from anxiety or exhaustion, was drenched in sweat. He had run several streets before finally finding Huang Shi, and with a sigh of relief, he wiped his brow and shook the sweat from his hands. "General Huang, come with me quickly." Huang

Shi straightened his hat and replied in a low voice, "Yes, Your Majesty, please go first." Then he strode off, following the eunuch. The crowd parted automatically, and people jostled on both sides, craning their necks and focusing their gaze on Huang Shi. As Huang Shi and his entourage walked away, the common people whispered in amazement: "It's actually Grand Secretary Huang!" "No wonder he's so eloquent!" "Such a dignified appearance!"

The Ninth Master stood at the front of the crowd, his empty wine bowl still held aloft, though it was completely empty. When Huang Shi received the imperial decree, the Ninth Master's hand trembled, spilling the entire bowl of wine into his sleeve. Now, the Ninth Master's expression was that of a dazed man. He stood by the table, watching Huang Shi walk towards the stairs, finally managing to stammer, "Your Excellency, may you live a long and healthy life."

He didn't speak loudly, but Huang Shi heard him clearly in the silence. Huang Shi didn't pause, but turned his head and smiled, "Ninth Master, may you also live a long and healthy life."

Huang Shi and his men hurried down the stairs, and only after their figures disappeared below did the usually quick-witted Ninth Master realize what had happened. He collapsed to the ground with a thud, the wine bowl flying from his hand, spinning wildly on the floor. The silk merchant shouted in the direction the high-ranking official had disappeared, "Your Excellency is too kind to this humble subject! I cannot accept such an honor!"

By the time Huang Shi heard this, he was almost at the entrance of the restaurant. The restaurant owner, who had been busy in the kitchen, heard what sounded like Huang Shi's arrival and, without understanding what was happening, rushed out from behind, blocking the entrance. The middle-aged, portly owner was no longer wearing his cotton-padded jacket; now he had a white rag tied around his head, a large gray apron around his waist, his sleeves rolled up high, and a sharp boning knife, its foot-long blade still dripping blood, gripped tightly in his right hand.

After blocking the door, the owner stared intently into the street, searching for anyone who resembled Huang Shi, muttering to himself, "Which one is Huang Gongbao?" He still gripped the meat cleaver tightly in his hand, and his fierce appearance made the eunuch standing behind him tremble with fear. Then he flew into a rage, waving his whisk at the fat boss: "Where did this madman come from? Men, come and stab him down..."

"Wait a minute," Huang Shi smiled and pressed down on the eunuch's shoulder, stopping several imperial guards who were about to stab him. He bowed to the owner, saying, "Thank you for your hospitality, it shows your great kindness."

The plump middle-aged

man was about to speak when his waiter rushed forward and shoved the owner, saying, "Sir, you're still holding a knife!" The restaurant owner, hearing this, quickly looked down at his hand, then shuddered, dropping the knife to the ground. He hurriedly took two steps back, dodging the door, and knelt down with his head buried in the ground, pleading, "This humble subject had no ill intentions, please forgive me, Your Excellency!"

Huang Shi rushed forward, helped the fat man up, laughed heartily, strode across the threshold, jumped onto his horse, and rode away with his head held high.

As the group left, Ninth Master desperately leaned out of the second-floor window, shouting into the street, "Look! Look! That's the invincible Huang Gongbao!"

The waiters helped the still-shaken owner to a chair and quickly brought him a bowl of ginseng soup to replenish his strength. Another waiter, while collecting the knife from the ground, said with lingering fear, "Wielding a knife at Huang Gongbao, tsk tsk. Luckily, Gongbao didn't hold it against our master, otherwise this wouldn't have been easy."

"You don't know anything!" the fat boss suddenly roared, a disdainful expression on his face: "Gongbao can fight his way in and out of a million-strong army seven times, how could he possibly look down on my broken knife? Sigh..." The boss rubbed his bald head: "Don't even mention me with a meat cleaver, even a hundred people with a hundred machetes would be a waste. What ability do I have? Gongbao could crush me like an ant." The waiter quickly bowed his head and repeatedly agreed.

For many days afterward, the restaurant was thriving. The owner told his adventures to the customers countless times, the plot becoming more and more exciting. In the story, he himself gradually transformed from an ordinary person into the sage Zhuge Liang, claiming that when the Imperial Guards came to arrest him, he could still talk and laugh with Huang Shi.

Huang Shi and his entourage rode from the restaurant toward the Forbidden City, with the Imperial Guards clearing the way with gongs. Citizens of the capital lined the roadside, craning their necks to watch the billowing yellow dust raised by the cavalry on the dirt road. Huang Shi, the focus of everyone's attention, followed the eunuchs into the Great Ming Gate. The citizens remained gathered outside, unwilling to disperse, excitedly comparing the figures they had just witnessed with the stories told by storytellers.

After entering the Forbidden City, some eunuchs rushed to inform the Emperor Tianqi, while others helped Huang Shi change his clothes and armor. They had already sent messengers to Huang Shi's lodging when they went to find him, so by the time the Emperor Tianqi's order for Huang Shi to appear before him was issued again, Huang Shi had already changed into his general's armor.

Upon entering the main hall, Huang Shi, following the instructions of the Ministry of Rites officials, knelt upright facing the emperor without looking to the side, kowtowing and loudly proclaiming, "Your humble servant Huang Shi pays respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!

Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" A slightly urgent voice reached his ears: "Rise, Minister Huang."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After standing up, the emperor ordered a stool to be brought for Huang Shi to sit on. After he thanked the emperor again and was seated, Tianqi casually introduced him to the other officials in the room. Sitting to the lower left of Tianqi's throne was Gu Bingqian, the current general manager of the Ming Dynasty and the Grand Secretary. Behind him were two other Grand Secretaries, Ding Shaoshi and Feng Quan. These three old men all had solemn expressions, their eyes fixed on Huang Shi without blinking.

Behind Chairman Zhu Youxiao stood Wei Zhongxian, the Secretary-General of the Secretariat, who also had a serious expression. Don't let Old Wei's inability to even get a seat in front of Chairman Zhu fool you; the old man who used to be in charge of cleaning is now second only to the emperor. General Manager Gu Bingqian is practically living in Old Wei's office so he can consult him daily and avoid making mistakes.

After his ministers sized each other up like crickets, Tianqi spoke again: "Minister Huang."

Huang Shi quickly bowed: "Your subject is here."

Tianqi, sitting on the throne, looked uneasy and anxious. He frowned and asked: "General Mao and General Huang have been fighting the Eastern Barbarians for a long time, so they should know their strengths and weaknesses. General Huang, please tell me clearly, how many troops does the Eastern Barbarians actually have?"

Huang Shi took a breath and was about to speak when Tianqi quickly added: "Minister Huang, I want to hear the truth, not nice-sounding lies."

"As you command," Huang Shi replied in a deep voice, then raised his head and addressed the crowd in the hall, "As far as I know, according to the Jurchen system, those aged fifteen to sixty are called 'male' (丁). They are assigned to the Eight Banners and called 'Banner Male' (旗丁). Their Banner Male number is less than fifty thousand, and at most sixty thousand; the Western Jurchens they coerce are no more than ten thousand; as for the Han traitors who have fled, they cannot fight far away. The Jurchens conscript one out of every three males to be called 'Armored Men' (披甲), and their number is no more than twenty thousand."

Upon hearing this number, Tianqi's brows furrowed even more. He quickly waved his hand, and a eunuch brought a tray to Huang Shi, on which were several handwritten memorials, with important passages underlined in red ink.

Huang Shi quickly flipped through these documents. Mao Wenlong's warning report stated forty to fifty thousand, the Liaodong Military Commission said forty thousand, and the Ministry of War's spies also reported approximately fifty thousand. These documents also clearly indicated that the Later Jin had mobilized one hundred and sixty Niru (牛录) from seven banners.

Tianqi had been watching Huang Shi's movements closely. Once Huang Shi finished reading, he gestured with his eyes to General Manager Gu. The white-haired and bearded old man Gu coughed, and Huang Shi quickly looked up at him.

General Gu said tremblingly, "There are rumors circulating that the Eastern Barbarians have marched an army of 100,000 this time. What does General Huang think?"

"It must be an exaggeration." Huang Shi carefully put the papers back into the plate, and the eunuch also retreated quietly without saying a word. Huang Shi straightened his back, placed his hands on his knees, and smiled at General Manager Gu, saying, "Your Excellency, in my humble opinion, since we have the official reports from the Liaodong Military Governor's Office and the Ministry of War, there's no need to listen to any more rumors from passersby."

Before Gu Bingqian could speak, Huang Shi finished speaking, and Tianqi let out a cold snort, squeezing out an unfriendly tone through gritted teeth: "Gao Di, indeed, you've done a good job!"

Hearing this assessment, Gu Bingqian quickly turned to the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, Gao Di has only been in office for less than a month. This is his first time in charge of military affairs, so he's been a bit too cautious and conservative."

Seeing Tianqi snort again without comment, Gu Bingqian turned back to Huang Shi and asked, "General Huang, what do you think of General Gao's actions?"

This question made Huang Shi's heart pound. He remembered that Gao Di was a member of the eunuch faction, and everyone in the room today, except for Tianqi, were core members of that faction. Huang Shi sensed that Gu Bingqian's words implied an attempt to exonerate Gao Di, but... if they truly wanted to exonerate Gao Di, why didn't anyone give me a heads-up beforehand? I've been waiting outside for so long; they had plenty of opportunities to collude with me.

While pondering these thoughts, Huang Shi secretly glanced at Wei Zhongxian behind Tianqi. The old man's hands hung at his sides, his eyelids slightly drooping, as if he were in deep meditation. His face was expressionless, appearing completely harmless. Seeing Wei Zhongxian's stubborn and unyielding demeanor, Huang Shi cursed inwardly, "Old fox," and could only stammer, "Reporting to Your Excellency, in my humble opinion, composure is not bad, but too much composure is not good either. As for Gao Jinglue's strategic abilities, it is truly beyond my ability to judge."

Although Wei Zhongxian kept his eyes on the floor, he hadn't missed a single word Huang Shi said, and inwardly cursed him as "little fox." In fact, Gao Di's move had also frightened Wei Zhongxian. After all, Gao Di was someone he had recently recommended, and if Gao Di made a mess of the Liaodong affairs, Wei Zhongxian wouldn't be able to say anything. However, since the dust hadn't settled yet, Wei Zhongxian couldn't just jump out and make accusations. So, he had originally planned to "protect if possible, abandon if not." If Huang Shi criticized Gao Di's strategy, he could say something that would be evenly matched. If Huang Shi supported Gao Di's strategy, he would naturally be in a more advantageous position, and if anything went wrong, he could use Huang Shi as a shield.

Tianqi seemed very dissatisfied with Huang Shi's answer; he pressed the armrest of his chair and stood up. Several ministers in the hall also quickly jumped up from their stools, watching the emperor begin to pace around the main hall. After pacing around the hall a few times, Tianqi suddenly asked, "Huang Shi, the Right Vice Minister of War, Yan Mingtai, disagrees with the Liaodong Military Commissioner's order to retreat and has requested permission for the Ningqian Circuit Intendant to lead the three detachments

of Ningyuan to hold their ground. What do you think of the outcome?" Needless to say, the Ningqian Circuit Intendant was referring to Yuan Chonghuan. Huang Shi replied without hesitation, "I have also heard of this in Liaodong. Ningyuan Fort was meticulously constructed by Minister Sun and equipped with eleven large cannons. I believe we have an 80% chance of victory."

Everyone in the room perked up at this. Ningyuan Fort controls the main road of the Liaoxi Corridor, flanked by the sea and mountains. As long as Ningyuan holds, the northern barbarians' supply lines will be severely disrupted. Sun Chengzong chose this place as a crucial pass for Shanhaiguan precisely because of its strategic location. The serious expression on Tianqi's face relaxed slightly: "General Huang, do you really think we can win?"

Because of the historical impact he had caused, Huang Shi wasn't sure what Tianqi's standard for a "great victory" was, so he cautiously replied, "This humble subject believes that although Ningyuan Fortress is fortified, Liaozhen is mostly composed of new recruits, and the royal army's casualties will likely be considerable."

After hearing this, Tianqi exchanged a glance with Gu Bingqian. Gu Bingqian stroked his long, snow-white beard and slowly turned to Huang Shi, saying, "Gao Jinglue wants to borrow General Huang from Commander Mao, and wants General Huang to go to Shanhaiguan to assist in the defense for a period of time until it is confirmed that the Eastern Barbarians have retreated. I wonder what General Huang thinks?" Huang

Shi thought that as long as the Guan Ning Iron Cavalry was willing to fight seriously and defend the city honestly, there was absolutely no reason why they couldn't hold it. Now that Yuan Chonghuan was in Ningyuan, Shanhaiguan was definitely not in danger, so he didn't intend to waste time going to Shanhaiguan. Moreover, Huang Shi knew that Juehua was in trouble, and he also remembered that he still owed Zhao Yingong his life. If he were still detained in Beijing, that would be one thing, but now that he had the opportunity to speak, it would be too much to remain silent.

"Your Excellency," Huang Shi raised his voice slightly, but still remained humble as he addressed Gu Bingqian, "This humble general believes that the Jurchens' invasion of Liaoxi this time is aimed at plundering the grain, silver, and military families' children of Liaozhen. This humble general believes that the outcome of this battle lies in Ningyuan, not in Shanhaiguan. This humble general is willing to lead the Changsheng troops to Ningyuan and fight alongside the three detachments of Ningyuan's army."

Gu Bingqian looked up at the Tianqi Emperor, then secretly glanced over the emperor's shoulder at the Eastern Depot's commander behind him. But the emperor looked at him expressionlessly, and Wei Zhongxian didn't look up to give him any hint, causing beads of sweat to appear on Gu Bingqian's forehead. He feigned a cough to signal Ding Shaoshi and Feng Quan, but both of them immediately looked down at the tips of their boots.

"General Huang, well, this old man believes that preparation is key to success, and lack of preparation leads to failure... As the art of war says, 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated...'" Gu Bingqian dared not insist that Huang Shi go to Shanhaiguan, yet he was unwilling to take responsibility by agreeing to Huang Shi's support of Ningyuan. He rambled on with meaningless platitudes while feigning deep thought. Gu Bingqian's political wisdom was: Heaven is supreme, the Emperor is second, and Eunuch Wei is third; in short, he would never make decisions himself. As later generations summarized, "Kowtowing more, speaking less."

While expressing his views at length, the Grand Secretary silently prayed that someone would interrupt him. Even a scolding from the Emperor would be fine; he could then use the opportunity to shout "This old minister deserves to die!" to get away with it. Unfortunately, he miscalculated this time; no one interrupted the old man's ramblings for a long time. Although Emperor Tianqi shifted his position impatiently several times on his throne, he remained expressionless, staring intently at Gu Bingqian, seemingly determined to glean some valuable advice from the cabinet. Eunuch Wei, needless to say, remained silent, as did the other two Grand Secretaries, who adopted a detached, ascetic demeanor.

Since no one was willing to take on this hot potato, Gu Bingqian had no choice but to continue his rambling: "...Shanhaiguan can probably accommodate 150,000 troops, more or less...I remember the construction of Ningyuan Fort cost three million taels of silver...Your Majesty is wise...General Huang is commendable for his bravery...Gao Jinglue's memorial was quite well written...The Eastern Barbarians, if not 60,000, have at least 50,000, if not 50,000, have at least 40,000, if not 40,000, have at least—"

"Lord Gu!" Huang Shi finally couldn't hold back any longer, and Gu Bingqian stopped abruptly, as if relieved. In a flash, General Manager Gu of the Ming Dynasty Company immediately adopted the exact same expression as the other two Grand Secretaries. If he were to shave his head and put on Buddhist prayer beads, given General Manager Gu's kind and serene expression at that moment, people would absolutely believe he was the reincarnation of Buddha.

Huang Shi knelt on one knee before Emperor Tianqi and declared loudly, "Your Majesty, although the Jurchens number in the tens of thousands, I also have three thousand elite troops. While insufficient for attack, they are more than enough for self-defense. I am willing to go to Ningyuan to join forces with Ningqian Road to resist the Eastern barbarians. Your Majesty only needs to grant me three requests, and then you can rest easy and await good news!" (

Chapter 41: Sweeping Through the Army Like a Rolling Mat) The two emperors

and three great Buddhas remained in a meditative posture, eyes closed, nose closed, mind at ease. Emperor Tianqi

, too lazy to pay them any attention, sat up straight and solemnly said to Huang Shi, "Minister Huang, please rise and speak. Whatever your request, please speak freely, and I will certainly consider it carefully." Huang Shi did not stand on ceremony with Emperor Tianqi and said loudly in the hall, "Thank you, Your Majesty. My first need is for sufficient ships. My soldiers are all still on Changsheng Island, and with the ships my naval force currently possesses, it is insufficient to transport them all from Changsheng to Ningyuan."

Emperor Tianqi nodded slightly, then his gaze shifted to Gu Dafo: "Grand Secretary, how many usable ships does Tianjinwei have?"

"Your Majesty, please forgive me, this old minister truly knows nothing." Gu Dafu lifted his official robe and was about to kneel on the ground, but he said in a hurry, "This old minister will investigate in a moment, Your Majesty, please forgive me."

"Alright, Your Excellency, please rise. I was unaware of this beforehand." Tianqi gestured for Gu Dafo to sit back on his stool, then turned to a eunuch and said, "Immediately investigate the ships at Tianjin Wei and report back quickly."

After instructing the eunuch, Tianqi smiled at Huang Shi: "Minister Huang, please tell me the second matter."

The second matter concerned Juehua Island. Historically, Nurhaci moved a large amount of supplies abandoned by the Guan Ning Army, and not content with that, he also attacked Juehua, annihilating the four battalions of seven thousand soldiers stationed on the island; massacring tens of thousands of military households and merchants stationed on the island; burning two thousand ships; and looting more than eighty thousand shi of grain, more than one hundred thousand bolts of cloth, and five hundred thousand taels of silver...

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that Your Majesty issue an edict to Ningqian Dao, ordering them to immediately break through the ice at the port of Juehua Island so that my troops can land there." Huang Shi planned to land directly at Juehua, then transfer all his troops to Ningyuan Fort, and then set fire to Juehua's supplies until they were completely destroyed. Just in case, he added, "Your Majesty, it would be best to add an order to the generals of Juehua: if the Jurchens arrive before I do, they should burn their supplies and then retreat into Ningyuan Fort."

Tianqi laughed and said, "This is easy. I will issue the decree now. Does Minister Huang have anything else to say?"

"His Majesty has already given me the last item," Huang Shi paused slightly, glancing furtively at the three meditating monks beside him. "I simply wish to confirm whether the silver command token His Majesty bestowed upon me can command all officials below the fifth rank. If any official of the second rank or lower has a conflict with me regarding military orders, should my orders prevail?"

Tianqi was somewhat puzzled. He frowned, glanced at the cabinet ministers and eunuchs, and hesitantly asked, "What does Minister Huang mean by this?"

Huang Shi took a deep breath, mustered his courage, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I simply want to know, if the Ningqian Military Commissioner, the Ningqian Circuit Vice Commissioner, or the Ningqian Circuit Prefect disagrees with me on military matters, should I listen to them, or should they listen to me?"

Tianqi fell silent upon hearing this, while the three monks simultaneously raised their heads, their eyes gleaming with shrewdness. Gu Dafu was the first to try and smooth things over: "Your Majesty, our dynasty's ancestral system dictates that civil officials control military ones. Especially since General Huang is a guest general, forcing the Ningqian Circuit officials to obey him would be inappropriate. However, on the other hand, this old minister believes that as a guest general and a second-rank military officer, it would indeed be somewhat inappropriate for General Huang to be under the command of the fifth-rank Ningqian Circuit officials. Therefore, it's best if they are not under each other's command."

—Not being under each other's command means fighting independently. This is worse than me listening to Yuan Chonghuan.

Upon hearing this foolish suggestion… well, this suggestion was already quite generous to Huang Shi, but he still couldn't help but protest, “Your Majesty, what Lord Gu said is absolutely right, but if Ningqian Road and I are locked in a stalemate, for example, whether to hold out or to go to war, whose opinion should prevail?”

Seeing Huang Shi's lack of tact, Gu Bingqian snorted, his tone becoming unfriendly, “Your Majesty, if it weren't for General Huang's outstanding military achievements, this old minister believes that the ancestral rule of governing the military with civil officials should not be violated.”

Ding Shaoshi, who was standing to the side, had long harbored resentment towards Huang Shi's rising fame, and now seeing a mere military man like Huang Shi daring to argue, he was even more furious, “Your Majesty, this old minister also agrees with what Lord Gu said. Although General Huang is not under the jurisdiction of Liaozhen, since he has arrived in Ningyuan, he should rightfully be under the command of Ningqian Road.”

Another cabinet minister, Feng Quan, seeing the tense atmosphere, did not want everyone to start fighting. He quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Your Majesty is wise. In my opinion, whenever military matters arise, we should let Ning Qiandao and General Huang discuss them amongst themselves. General Huang and Ning Qiandao are colleagues, and I believe they will naturally compromise and prioritize harmony."

Feng Quan's idea of "compromising and prioritizing harmony" was in line with Gu Bingqian's, and Ding Shaoshi also felt that Huang Shi was enjoying the Emperor's favor, so it wouldn't be good not to give him some face. Therefore, both cabinet ministers unanimously praised this approach.

However, their giving Huang Shi face did not mean that Huang Shi would give them face. Huang Shi coldly said, "As the Assistant Commander-in-Chief, it's not a big deal if I'm under the control of Ningqian Circuit. But may I ask you three gentlemen, if the Chief Clerk, the Assistant Commissioner, and the Prefect also disagree with me, how should I conduct myself?"

Although it was against the rules, giving Huang Shi some authority wasn't unreasonable. Feng Quan smiled and said, "Naturally, General Huang should be the one in charge."

Huang Shi immediately followed up with a question: "Lord Feng, you are wise. What if the local officials refuse to obey me, claiming they are following the orders of Ningqian Circuit?"

This battle was against the Later Jin army personally commanded by Nurhaci. Huang Shi was first afraid that the local civil officials would hinder him, making it impossible for him to fight or defend. Secondly, since visiting Xiong Tingbi, he had become very confident and felt that pacifying the Later Jin would only take three or four years. Therefore, Huang Shi did not want Yuan Chonghuan to come to power and add variables to the process, hoping to deprive Yuan Chonghuan of the opportunity to come to power at the last moment.

Huang Shi secretly recalled: Yan Mingtai's plan was to deploy three brigades to defend the entire Ningyuan fortified area. Based on Yan Mingtai's strategy, the court prohibited any retreat from Ningyuan's outer strongholds, such as Juehua. Yuan Chonghuan, the Ningqian Circuit Intendant, could only effectively command the garrison at Ningyuan Fort. Ultimately, the entire Ningyuan fortress complex was stripped bare by Nurhaci, leaving Ningyuan as a bare city. The Ningyuan victory did indeed result in the beheading of over two hundred men, but apart from Yuan Chonghuan's directly subordinate troops, the Guan Ning Army in the Ningyuan region not only suffered the complete annihilation of four battalions (7,000 men) at Juehua, but the other brigades also reported a total of 1,000 casualties.

Huang Shi silently thought, "Of course, by the standards of the Guan Ning cavalry, this can indeed be considered a great victory… Poor Yuan Chonghuan was later betrayed twice by these scoundrels—first dismissed from office, then executed by a thousand cuts. I didn't let him take power for his own good."

This time, Huang Shi planned to withdraw all troops back to Ningyuan Fort, and burn any excess supplies. Even so, the losses would be less than in history. Moreover, with the combined forces of three corps plus the Changsheng Army, they might actually have a chance to severely damage the Later Jin army. The Guan Ning Army likes to use firearms to fight "non-contact warfare," so letting the Changsheng Army fight desperately while they provide artillery support from behind should be fine, right?

However, the cabinet was determined not to back down any further. Grand Secretary Gu was furious, his beard bristling and eyes wide: "According to General Huang's logic, even the orders of the governor and the military commissioner are less powerful than yours? This is outrageous!"

Huang Shi felt he hadn't violated the rule of "separation of powers between the high and low officials," nor had he demanded such power as personnel appointments, so he stubbornly continued his argument: "Your Majesty, I only hope that Ningqian Dao can temporarily cooperate with my military orders. After all, I have been fighting for five years. Once the Jurchens retreat even slightly, I will never again utter a single word of command to Ningqian Dao."

Unexpectedly, Gu Bingqian and Ding Shaoshi both sneered upon hearing this, mockingly saying, "What use is the courage of a mere brute, even if it lasts a hundred years?"

"Your Majesty..."

"Enough." Tianqi interrupted Huang Shi. At this moment, a eunuch brought a report from the Tianjin garrison. Tianqi glanced at it for a moment, then ordered it to be passed to Wei Zhongxian behind him, instructing him to arrange maritime transport. Having dealt with the problem, Tianqi asked directly, "General Huang, tell me your plans for Ningyuan, and what guarantees you can give me."

In Huang Shi's mind, apart from Ningyuan Fort and Juehua Island, there were no other valuable fortresses outside the Great Wall; the other fortresses were merely a waste of money. In fact, he even thought that building only Juehua Fort would be enough. Huang Shi explained his plan to Tianqi: abandon all the outer castles and concentrate the three Ningyuan detachments and the two Changsheng Island battalions together. If the Later Jin forces were scattered, he would launch a preemptive attack; if there was no opportunity, he could secure Ningyuan Fort.

In this explanation, Huang Shi also elaborated on why he needed to concentrate his forces and mentioned his personal emphasis on field battles. After listening to the discussion, Tianqi nodded: "According to ancestral rules, the silver token can mobilize local troops and control officials below the fifth rank, but it doesn't say there's a distinction between civil and military officials."

After saying this, Tianqi slapped the armrest of his throne and stood up: "My mind is made up. You may all leave."

As the cabinet ministers withdrew, Huang Shi hesitated whether to follow them out of the main hall. Just as he was wondering what to do, a eunuch came over and said: "His Majesty wishes to summon General Huang for a private audience. Please come with me, General."

The eunuch led Huang Shi to the Imperial Archives at the back. Next to Tianqi sat a boy of about fourteen or fifteen, who looked excited and eager to try. Huang Shi noticed he was wearing a five-dragon robe. Tianqi's eyes were filled with doting affection. He pointed to the child and said to Huang Shi, "General Huang, this is Prince Xin. He has always wanted to meet you."

Huang Shi knew that this was Zhu Youjian, Zhu Youxiao's half-brother, who was enfeoffed as Prince Xin in the second year of Tianqi's reign. He immediately knelt down again and said respectfully, "This humble general greets Your Majesty.

Long live Your Majesty!" "Rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After offering Huang Shi a seat, Tianqi said, "I have already ordered arrangements. The ships from Tianjin will depart immediately for Changsheng Island upon receiving the order. A detachment of imperial guards will escort General Huang out of the capital and head straight for Tianjin. A fast ship is waiting for General Huang at the port."

"Your Majesty is wise."

Tianqi smiled slightly. "Most of my officials are just drawing salaries without doing any work. Fortunately, there are people like you, Minister Huang, which makes me very gratified."

"Your Majesty..."

Stopping Huang Shi's confession, Tianqi turned thoughtfully to his younger brother beside him and asked, "Do you remember the stories Consort Li told us when we were young? Do you remember who the first Empress Dowager lived in Yanjing was?"

According to the Donglin Party, Consort Li's greatest ambition was to become Empress Dowager, and she constantly strived towards this grand goal. After this wicked attempt was thwarted by the loving and righteous Donglin Party, she left behind a reputation as a vicious woman in the History of Ming, whose crimes included murdering Emperor Taichang, beating Tianqi and Chongzhen's mother to death, plotting to usurp the throne, and engaging in licentious behavior in the harem. During his reign, Tianqi was too lazy to argue with the Donglin Party and simply provided for her. After Emperor Chongzhen ascended the throne, he vehemently defended her, publicly declaring, "My late father pitied the late Emperor and I for having no mother, so he appointed Li Xuan to care for us. She treated the late Emperor and me like family, and we treated her as our mother. As for the beating of the Empress Dowager, that's pure nonsense." Of course, Chongzhen's words were in vain. When he saw the civil officials still using the palace relocation case as a great achievement, he understood why his brother, Emperor Tianqi, had never bothered to defend their adoptive mother.

While Huang Shi was pondering whether the first Empress Dowager in Yanjing was Emperor Chengzu's wife, the young man loudly proclaimed, "Your Majesty, I remember it was Empress Dowager Wei, who was captured by the Jurchens and brought to Yanjing. Lady Li told the story of Yue Fei, didn't she?"

Emperor Tianqi looked at his brother with affection, clapping his hands and laughing, "Yes, tell General Huang this story."

The young man's voice was sharp: "Okay."

The Empress Dowager Wei mentioned by Zhu Youjian was Emperor Gaozong's mother. After being captured by the Jurchens and taken to the north, she suffered countless humiliations and was forced to bear two sons for them. During this darkest period of her life, Empress Dowager Wei constantly heard the Jurchens mention a Song Dynasty general known as "General with Large and Small Eyes." This general was incredibly powerful, and the Jurchens both hated and feared him.

As the Song army grew stronger, the Jurchens' attitude towards Song prisoners of war also changed. The Jurchens were willing to negotiate peace; they desired peace and even rescued Emperor Gaozong's mother and wife from the ranks of slaves, providing them with special housing and servants and better food. Although Empress Dowager Wei didn't know who this General with Large and Small Eyes was, she was filled with admiration and gratitude towards him.

Later, at Emperor Gaozong's request, the Jurchens released Empress Dowager Wei. Upon returning to Lin'an, Empress Dowager Wei's first request was to see General "General with Large and Small Eyes." However, she was told that General "General with Large and Small Eyes" was gone; he had been executed by the court.

At this point, Zhu Youjian stopped, his voice filled with sorrow.

Listening to his younger brother recount the story he had heard in his childhood, Tianqi's face was also filled with regret and sorrow. He felt his eyes welling up with tears again, just as they had the first time he heard the story, so he quickly turned and loudly asked Huang Shi, "General Huang, do you know who the One-Eyed General is?"

Huang Shi's voice also turned bitter: "In my humble opinion, it's probably Grandfather Yue Fei, the Martial General."

"Indeed," Tianqi sighed. Yue Fei had an eye ailment, so his eyes were uneven in size. Whenever the Jin soldiers saw this distinctive feature, they would shout warnings to each other—this formidable fellow is coming to kill again.

"When Empress Dowager Wei heard that General Da-yan was gone, she was so saddened that she fell seriously ill, and her health deteriorated afterward." Tianqi sighed for a moment, then said solemnly to Huang Shi, "General Huang, have you ever heard the saying, 'The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind'?"

Savoring the meaning behind the emperor's words, cold sweat began to bead on Huang Shi's brow. He rose and knelt, saying, "Your Majesty, I dare to ask for your clarification."

Tianqi slowly said, "General Huang, you have fewer than ten thousand soldiers, but someone has already submitted a memorial saying that you do not covet wealth or keep slaves, which suggests your ambitions are far from small."

Although it was already the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, Huang Shi still felt sweat slowly gathering on the bridge of his nose, about to drip. He lowered his head to the ground and said, "Your Majesty, my loyalty is as clear as the sun and moon. I humbly beg Your Majesty to investigate."

Tianqi stood up abruptly and roared, "I am not Zhao Gou!"

The surrounding eunuchs immediately knelt down in fear, and Zhu Youjian also stood up in a panic, whispering, "Brother, calm down."

"I am not Zhao Gou... not Zhao Gou." Tianqi slowly walked to Huang Shi, personally helped him up, and made him sit back on the bench. "Huang Qingjia, do your job well, don't worry about what others say. After we pacify the Eastern Barbarians, I will rely on you to quell the She'an Rebellion." As

he spoke, Tianqi unfastened the sword from his waist, held it with both hands, and presented it to Huang Shi. "My imperial sword, General Huang, take it now. I want you to wear it at all times, so that my sword can drink the blood of traitors and rebels."

Huang Shi hurriedly knelt down, took the imperial sword with both hands, raised it above his head, and said loudly, "Your humble servant obeys, thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty."

The eunuchs serving nearby were also busy recording in the daily records—year, month, day, hour, the Emperor bestowed the imperial sword upon Huang Shi.

"For officials below the fifth rank, you may use this to execute them first and report later in an emergency; for officials below the third rank, you may also use this to suspend or impeach them; your special reports shall not be obstructed by the Office of Transmission or the Directorate of Ceremonial." Tianqi explained the uses of the Imperial Sword to Huang Shi, then smiled and encouraged him, "In the future, I will certainly not be stingy with rewards for those who are dukes and marquises."

Hearing Tianqi's order, Huang Shi carefully fastened the sword to his belt. At this moment, his last concern had vanished. Huang Shi addressed Emperor Tianqi loudly, "Your Majesty, rest assured. I will serve you with utmost loyalty and devotion in Liaodong, even unto death."

Zhu Youjian, who was observing from the sidelines, changed color upon hearing this and hurriedly interjected, "General Huang, the expedition is imminent; it is inappropriate to use the word 'death.'"

After saying this, he blushed and quickly apologized to Emperor Tianqi, "Your Majesty, I have been impolite; please forgive me."

"What crime has my brother committed?" Emperor Tianqi laughed heartily, his spirits lifted, and said loudly, "Minister Huang, you have rendered meritorious service to the country today; your blessings will surely extend to your descendants for generations. I will not break my promise, absolutely—I will not break my promise!"

On the ninth day of the twelfth month, Huang Shi was ordered to return urgently to Changsheng Island and cross the sea to aid Ningyuan.

URL 1:http://localhost:909/htmlBlog/14767.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=14767&aspx=1

Previous Page : Stealing the Ming Dynasty [Complete] - 19

Next Page : Stealing the Ming Dynasty [Complete] - 21

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

Stealing the Ming Dynasty [Complete] - 22

comment Open a new window to view comments